Rederer, Anna

Spahni, Stefanie

Znoj, Hans Jörg

Bern Open Repository and Information System (BORIS)

The National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR) are a research instrument of the Swiss National Science Foundation PERSONAL GROWTH AFTER SPOUSAL BEREAVEMENT IN OLD AGE Anna Rederer, Stefanie Spahni, & Hansjörg Znoj University of Bern, Switzerland,   contact: anna.rederer@students.unibe.ch    Spousal bereavement is a critical life event with possible negative psychological and physiological health outcomes. However, spousal bereavement can also lead to positive changes, such as personal growth. Despite increasing academic interest in personal growth, little is known about its correlates, processes and consequences.   The aim of this study was to explore personal growth after spousal bereavement, its predictors, course and relation to well-being.   THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH AIMS             METHODS    DISCUSSION RESULTS  The results support the assumption that personal growth occurs after spousal bereavement in old age. Furthermore, growth could be related to well-being, but not with all dimensions significantly or in either way.   Growth seems to be associated with lower education, higher extraversion, lower conscientiousness and higher stress. Interpersonal resources, relational and context factors appear to be less important. Yet these results should be regarded with suspicion, as some are not in line with other studies and growth could not be predicted well. The course of growth remains unclear because of contradicting results. Knowledge about growth could be valuable for a more holisitc theoretical understanding of the adaption to loss and for psychological interventions. Study description Data stems from the longitudinal, survey-based study NCCR LIVES IP 212. The Sample consists of 332 persons who experienced spousal bereavement within the previous five years. Mean age (wave one) was 73 years, SD = 8 years, range 60 - 89, 58% were women.    LIVES International Conference,  Bern, Switzerland June 28-29, 2016 References •  Calhoun, L. G., Tedeschi, R. G., Cann, A., & Hanks, E. A. (2010). Positive outcomes following bereavement: Paths to posttraumatic growth. Psychologica Belgica, 50(1), 125-143. doi: 10.5334/pb-50-1-2-125 •  Stroebe, M., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (2007). Health outcomes of bereavement. The Lancet, 370(9603), 1960-1973. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61816-9 •  Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological inquiry, 15(1), 1-18. doi: 10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01   Measures  The questionnaire contained items created by the IP 212 team and standardized test instruments, e.g.: Personal growth: Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-10, Cann et al., 2010; Maercker & Langner, 2001) Well-being: Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al. 1985; Schumacher, 2003), Center for Epid. Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977; Hautzinger, 1993), De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (De Jong Gierveld & Kamphuis, 1985; De Jong Gierveld & van Tilburg),Swiss Household Panel (P09C01, subjective health), Hopelessness Scale (Beck et al., 1974; Krampen, 1994)   Predictors of Growth Hierarchical regression analysis  Dimensions of Growth Correlations of Growth and Well-being Change over Time t-test β sex .09 education -.22**  age (years) -.05 extraversion .18**  neuroticism -.00 conscientiousness -.16*  agreeableness .03 openness .13 resilience .16 duration of marriage .02 development in relationship -.10 marital happiness .01 time since loss .09 predictability of loss .09 emotional valence of loss .01 social support -.05 new relationship -.03  current stress .15*   R2 .15 1 2 3 4 5 6 appreciation of life personal strength new possibilities spiritual change relatin to others overall growth mean 1 2 3 4 5 6 W1 W2 mean 1 2 3 4 5 6 < 2 ≥ 2 mean * Growth (respectively its subdimensions) was correlated with less loneliness, more hopefulness and more life satisfaction (all wave one and wave two).   In the subsample of the recently bereaved, higher growth was correlated with more emotional loneliness (wave one), higher life satisfaction (wave two) and lower social loneliness (wave two).  There was no significant correlation of growth with depression and subjective health. * longitudinal testing  cross-sectional testing years widowed source: https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.84101 | downloaded: 13.3.2017

Personal growth after spousal bereavement in old age

http://boris.unibe.ch/84101/1/Poster-LIVESConf16-Anna.pdf

Personal growth after spousal bereavement in old age

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