Management of survival guilt by a Chinese widower through the use of continuing bonds

10.1080/13576270903537633Mortality15138-4

The Meaning of Childbearing Among IVF Service Users Assessed via Laddering Technique

10.1080/10720537.2012.703573Journal of Constructivist Psychology254302-32

Chinese widowers' self-perception of growth: An exploratory study

10.1080/15524250802003422Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care3447-6

Humor attenuates the cortisol awakening response in healthy older men

This study examined the impact of an important factor contributing to successful aging, humor, on post-awakening cortisol levels among a group of 45 older men whose ages ranged from 64 years to 86 years (mean = 73.6 years). Four saliva samples were collected from the participants for 2 days immediately after waking and every 15 min thereafter for three times. Cortisol data of the 2 days were aggregated for analysis. Two separate indices of cortisol awakening response reflecting the mean level of secretion and the rise from immediately to 45 min post-awakening, AUCG and AUCI, were computed using the trapezoid formula. The relation of these two indices to humor (operationalized as coping) was examined in a multiple regression analysis while controlling for the effect of age, socioeconomic status, and self-esteem. Results indicated that higher humor scores were associated with lower AUCG but had no relation with AUCI. Findings of the present study suggest that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis is the major pathway whereby positive psychological dispositions, such as humor, exert their health effects in the aging population. Moreover, cortisol levels in the awakening period may be particularly sensitive to the influences of psychosocial factors

Complicated grief and post-traumatic stress symptom profiles in bereaved earthquake survivors : A latent class analysis

Background: Studies on mental health following disasters have primarily focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet severe, enduring and disabling grief (i.e., complicated grief, CG) also appears relevant. Objective: The present study examines symptom profiles of PTSD and CG among bereaved Sichuan earthquake survivors one year after the disaster. Methods: Self-report measures of demographic, disaster, and loss-related characteristics and symptoms of PTSD and CG were administered among 803 survivors (63% women, mean age = 46.7 years). Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of people with different PTSD and CG symptom profiles. Results: The LCA demonstrated that a five class solution yielded the best fit, consisting of a CG class with low PTSD and high CG (N = 208), a combined class with high PTSD and high CG (N = 205), a class with low PTSD and partial CG (N = 145), a class with partial PTSD and CG (N = 136), and a resilient class with low PTSD and CG (N = 108). Being a woman (vs. man), losing a child or spouse (vs. other), being injured (vs. non-injured), and/or having a missing family member (vs. non-missing) predicted membership of the CG class compared to other classes. Conclusions: CG appears a unique consequence of disasters involving many casualties. Disaster survivors should be screened for CG and provided with appropriate psychological treatment

Complicated grief and post-traumatic stress symptom profiles in bereaved earthquake survivors: A latent class analysis

Background: Studies on mental health following disasters have primarily focused on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet severe, enduring and disabling grief (i.e., complicated grief, CG) also appears relevant. Objective: The present study examines symptom profiles of PTSD and CG among bereaved Sichuan earthquake survivors one year after the disaster. Methods: Self-report measures of demographic, disaster, and loss-related characteristics and symptoms of PTSD and CG were administered among 803 survivors (63% women, mean age = 46.7 years). Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of people with different PTSD and CG symptom profiles. Results: The LCA demonstrated that a five class solution yielded the best fit, consisting of a CG class with low PTSD and high CG (N = 208), a combined class with high PTSD and high CG (N = 205), a class with low PTSD and partial CG (N = 145), a class with partial PTSD and CG (N = 136), and a resilient class with low PTSD and CG (N = 108). Being a woman (vs. man), losing a child or spouse (vs. other), being injured (vs. non-injured), and/or having a missing family member (vs. non-missing) predicted membership of the CG class compared to other classes. Conclusions: CG appears a unique consequence of disasters involving many casualties. Disaster survivors should be screened for CG and provided with appropriate psychological treatment