Reflective functioning and symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder among bereaved adults

Introduction: Empirical research indicated that 9.8 percent of the bereaved show maladaptive reactions named Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Admittedly, understanding the role of the psychological factors related to the onset of psychopathology is paramount. In this perspective, several studies have pointed out the transdiagnostic role of mentalizing, operationalized as reflective functioning. This study sought to investigate the relationships between the perceived support at the time of assistance, reflective functioning (i.e., uncertainty and certainty about the mental states of self and others), and the severity of prolonged grief symptoms in bereaved adults. Methods: A sample of 645 participants (79.8% females, mean age = 31.33 ± 11.95 years) completed the Prolonged Grief Scale (PG-13; Prigerson et al., 2009) and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ; Fonagy et al., 2016). Demographic, loss, and social support data were also collected. Results: Correlational analysis indicated that prolonged grief symptoms were associated with both types of impairment in reflective functioning. Specifically, symptoms were positively correlated with uncertainty about mental states. Also, they were negatively correlated with certainty about mental states. Prolonged grief symptoms were inversely related to perceived social support. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that reflective functioning may play a central role in the intensity of grief symptoms and thereby increasing the risk of developing a mental disorder. Specialists and researchers within the field may find useful our findings when assessing and preventing prolonged grief disorders among bereaved adults.