Risk factors of severe prolonged grief disorder among individuals experiencing late-life bereavement in Japan: A qualitative study

Abstract

This article explored how severe prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is associated with psychological and social variables using an interpretative phenomenological analysis. From a sample of 225 Japanese hospitalized adults with depression, seven participants were identified as having PGD based on their medical records and semi-structured interviews. Risk factors appeared to be psychological factors associated with the deceased (dependence on the deceased, feeling sorry for the deceased, intense self-blame, and infrequent expression of anger) and environmental factors (loneliness and isolation, lack of opportunity to determine separation, and release from practical burdens). These findings are discussed in relation to Japanese culture.