Citation

Pfefferbaum B, Call JA, Lensgraf SJ, Miller PD, Flynn BW, Doughty DE, Tucker P, Dickson WL. Ann. Clin. Psychiatry 2001; 13(1): 19-24.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73104, USA. betty-pfefferbaum@ouhsc.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11465681

Abstract

This report describes traumatic grief in 40 individuals who suffered losses in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. We administered a self-report instrument 6 months after the bombing to assess demographics; exposure; injury; retrospective report of initial emotional and physiological reaction; and current posttraumatic stress symptoms, grief, safety concerns, and functioning. A strong association was found between posttraumatic stress symptoms and grief. The relationship between grief and difficulty functioning was stronger at higher levels of posttraumatic stress than at lower levels. The results support the construct of traumatic grief and have important implications for the treatment of people exposed to large-scale traumatic events and for the training of mental health professionals.

Language: en