Yakınını Kaybetmiş Yaşlılarda Uzamış Yas Belirtilerini Yordayan Etkenlerin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Kurban Coşkun, Ö., Investigation of Factors Predicting Prolonged Grief Symptoms in Bereaved Older Adults, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Dissertation Thesis in Psychiatry, Ankara, 2025. Grief is a complex and multidimensional adaptation response to the loss of a loved one. Although most individuals are able to adapt to their loss over time, in some individuals, this process can become prolonged, leading to significant emotional distress and loss of functionality. Due to increased physical, cognitive, and social frailties in old age, the grief process becomes more complex, and prolonged grief disorder stands out as an important mental health problem in this age group. The aim of this study is to examine the severity of prolonged grief symptoms and the sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with the diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder in older adults who have experienced the loss of a first-degree relative. The study, conducted in a descriptive, cross-sectional, and relational design, included 82 older adults aged 60 and over who applied to the psychiatry and geriatrics outpatient clinics of Hacettepe University Adult Hospital and whose loss of a first-degree relative had occurred at least 6 months prior. All participants were administered the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (PG-13), Beck Depression Inventory, Multidimensional Continuing Bonds Scale, Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory, Coping Skills Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. Data were evaluated using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple hierarchical regression. As a result of the evaluations, it was determined that the severity of prolonged grief symptoms in the sample was at a moderate-to-high level and that approximately one-third of the participants (32.9%) had a diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder. In comparisons made according to the type of loss, it was found that those who experienced the loss of a child had significantly higher PG-13 scores, particularly compared to those who experienced the loss of a spouse or parent. It was determined that as the severity of depression increased, prolonged grief symptoms also increased significantly. In the final model of the hierarchical regression analysis; type of loss, time elapsed since the loss, age of the deceased, cognitive restructuring, perceived social support, continuing bonds, depression level, and daily living functionality were determined as significant predictors of prolonged grief symptom severity. Additionally, the established model explained a very large portion (91.9%) of the variance in prolonged grief symptom severity. In conclusion, it was determined that prolonged grief is prevalent among older adults, and the nature of the loss, accompanying depression, coping patterns, and daily living functionality significantly affect this process. Systematically questioning prolonged grief symptoms in the clinical assessment of older adults in the grieving process and developing targeted psychosocial interventions are of critical importance in terms of clinical course and quality of life.