Is There Growth in Grief: Measuring Posttraumatic Growth in the Grief Response

Abstract

Introduction: Grief is considered to be negative manifestations of affect, cognition, and behavior. However, persons who experience grief have also reported enduring positive outcomes in such domains as interpersonal relationships, personal strengths, and life perspectives. This review evaluated current measures of grief to determine if such positive outcomes can be adequately assessed. Methods: The Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, Grief Experience Inventory, Bereavement Phenomenology Questionnaire, Core Bereavement Items, Continuing Bonds Scale, and Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (currently the most common measures of grief) are reviewed. Results: Only one of the reviewed measures assessed posttraumatic growth as a component of grief (i.e., Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist). Conclusion: Since posttraumatic growth and negative psychological adjustment after traumatic events can coexist, it is important that measures of grief used in both clinical and research domains allow an assessment of positive response.