Improved Functioning after Bereavement: The Role of Social Integration and Social Support

Abstract

People respond in widely varying ways to the loss of a loved one. Although most people manage the experience of loss without significant disruptions in healthy functioning, others show markedly divergent reactions including chronic grief symptoms and recovery from initial elevations in grief. In addition to these grief patterns, recent prospective research has found evidence of a particularly surprising response to loss: marked improvement in psychological functioning after loss. The goal of this project is to examine the correlates of this pattern with a focus on social functioning. To address this goal, I conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective study of bereaved spouses to examine whether those spouses who improve after loss also report beneficial changes in social functioning. Data were collected before and after bereavement with baseline interviews occurring on average 3 years before spousal loss and post-loss interviews occurring at 6 months. Improved participants were identified based on reductions in depression scores using medium and large effect size changes to identify improved functioning after loss. A repeated measures analysis examines changes in social relationship variables over the 2 waves for both bereaved groups, as well as a control group, and compares results to those who were not identified as improved. I hypothesized that improvements in functioning in the wake of bereavement are associated with improvements in social relationships. Results revealed positive changes in several social support variables among those who experience psychological improvement in the wake of loss compared to the control group and non-improved bereavement group, including perceived instrumental support, involvement in clubs and religious activities, negative hassles from friends and relatives, and wellbeing. These results support the hypothesis that improvements in functioning in the wake of bereavement are associated with improvements in relationships.