ABSTRACT
It is well documented that both younger and older bereaved individuals typically show many symptoms characteristic of depression (Breckenridge, Gallagher, Thompson, & Peterson, 1986; Gallagher, Breckenridge, Thompson, & Peterson, 1983; Lund, Caserta & Dimond, 1986; Murrell & Himmelfarb, 1989; Pearlin, 1982; Reich, Zautra & Guarnaccia, 1989; W Stroebe, M. Stroebe, & Domittner, 1985; Zisook & Schuchter, 1986) and report more physical complaints than nonbereaved individuals (Maddison & Viola, 1968; Thompson, Breckenridge, Gallagher, & Peterson, 1984) in the months immediately following a loss. This negative impact of bereavement on mental and physical health has been called the loss effect (W Stroebe & M. Stroebe, 1987). Although physical health changes have received considerable attention as a consequence of bereavement, we focus on measures of psychological distress in this article.
