Internal Dialogues in Grief—an Analysis of Language

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Internal dialogues with the deceased can function as a form of continuing bond, which may help mitigate the pain of bereavement. The question arises whether the specificity of such dialogues is reflected in the language used. To answer the question, 64 participants in mourning were randomly divided into two groups: one group engaged in internal dialogue with the deceased, while the other group engaged in internal dialogue with a living person. These two types of dialogues were compared using the LIWC program and differences in 19 linguistic categories were found. To deepen their interpretation, in the group of dialogues with the deceased, these categories were correlated with several variables. The Word Count category correlated positively with the bonding function of the dialogue. The Religion correlated positively with anxiety after the dialogue. Longing (originally Sexuality) was positively associated with anxiety and anger after the dialogue, while Physical States and Functions correlated positively with depression before the dialogue. Both categories were negatively related to momentary meaning of life before and after the dialogue, and to curiosity before the dialogue. Using the pronoun “I” was positively associated with anger before the dialogue. The Tentative category was positively while Certainty category was negatively related to anger before the dialogue and the ruminating function. Certainty also correlated positively with bonding and testing functions and curiosity after the dialogue. The discussion of the results in light of the literature seeks to determine what the supportive role of dialogues with the deceased might consist of.