Maladaptive coping in adults who have experienced early parental loss and grief counseling

Abstract

This study compares maladaptive coping, measured as substance use, behavioral disengagement, self-blame, and emotional eating, among adults (>18 years) who have experienced early parental loss (N = 1465 women, N = 331 men) with non-bereaved controls (N = 515 women, N = 115 men). We also compared bereaved adults who received grief counseling (N = 822 women, N = 190 men) with bereaved controls who had not (N = 233 women, N = 66 men). Bereaved adults reported significantly more substance use, behavioral disengagement, and emotional eating than non-bereaved adults. Counseling participants reported significantly more substance use and self-blame than non-participants. Our results suggest that early loss may negatively impact the development of adulthood coping.