Social trust and the discounting of gains and losses in prolonged grief

Abstract

Prolonged grief (PG) is a potentially debilitating consequence of bereavement. Previous studies have associated PG severity with relative deficits in key future-oriented cognitive processes, including the discounting of future rewards. Individual differences in the rate at which one devalues the future have been associated with a range of important economic and health outcomes. To extend understanding of the mechanisms underlying discounting behaviour in PG, this study investigated discounting behaviour using an online paradigm where future consequences were made salient at the time of the decision. Ninety-four bereaved participants made choices to accept or reject offers that involved either an immediate gain and a long-term loss, or an immediate loss and a longer-term gain. Lower levels of social trust and higher PG severity were associated with greater discounting of future losses. Social trust but not PG severity was related to discounting of future gains. Results replicate and extend on previous findings in PG, and suggest potentially modifiable factors to reduce the biases in decision making processes that may contribute to ongoing dysfunction in PG.