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Object relations as a predictor of adjustment in conjugal bereavement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2001

NIGEL P. FIELD
Affiliation:
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology
SHEILA E. STURGEON
Affiliation:
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology
RICHARD PURYEAR
Affiliation:
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology
STEVEN HIBBARD
Affiliation:
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology
MARDI J. HOROWITZ
Affiliation:
University of California at San Francisco

Abstract

The impact of object relations on adjustment in conjugal bereavement was examined. Atapproximately 6 months postbereavement, 46 midlife bereaved participants engaged in a narrativeinterview in which they were asked to discuss their past relationship with their deceased spouse.The Westen et al. object relations scoring system was applied to these narratives. Participants alsocompleted depression and grief-specific symptom measures at 6 months and again at 14 and 25months postbereavement. Object relations correlated differently with grief-specific symptoms anddepression; it was more strongly negatively associated with 6 month postloss grief-specificsymptoms while more strongly negatively correlated with depression at 25 month postloss. In agrowth curve analysis, more mature object relations was also predictive of a faster rate ofdecrease in depression over time. The results were discussed in terms of current theoreticalperspectives on what is required in successful adaptation to conjugal bereavement.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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