Gratitude, psychological well-being, and perceptions of posttraumatic growth in adults who lost a parent in childhood

Death Stud. 2017 Aug;41(7):436-446. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2017.1296505. Epub 2017 Feb 17.

Abstract

Findings from an online survey of 350 adults who experienced early parental death showed that current dispositional gratitude was positively correlated with psychological well-being and posttraumatic growth and negatively correlated with depression. Further, 281 participants produced textual responses indicating they could remember the time following their parent's death. Increases in gratitude attributable to the experience of losing a parent were reported by 79% of these participants. They associated their increased gratitude with a newfound belief that life is precious and with greater appreciation for loved ones. Direction of change in gratitude was associated with psychological well-being, posttraumatic growth, and depression.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Adult Children / psychology*
  • Aged
  • Bereavement
  • Death
  • Emotional Adjustment*
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parent-Child Relations*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult