Forgiveness and Grief Symptoms in Women After Perinatal Loss

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between aspects of forgiveness, grief symptoms and bereavement in women after perinatal loss. In addition, to explore to what extent forgiveness and bereavement aspects predict grief symptoms. Participating in the study were 440 women, aged between 20 to 45 years, (M = 33,2). They completed the Heartland Forgiveness scale (Thompson & Snyder, 2003), adapted by Vendija Balode (Balode, 2017) and the Traumatic Grief Inventory (Self-Report Version, Boelen, & Smid, 2017), which was adapted as a part of this study. The results of research showed that there were negative relationships between forgiveness and grief symptoms. Bereavement aspects, such as the severity of the perceived bereavement, experienced bonding with the lost baby, and the time since the loss were positive predictors of grief symptom, whereas forgiveness in general, having received psychological assistance and overcoming the perceived loss, were negative predictors of the symptoms of grief.