Abstract
Could sympathetic hyperarousal limit treatment success in complicated grief? The present study investigated persons with complicated grief, a chronic condition with distinct symptoms including persistent intense yearning and longing for the person who died, avoidance of reminders that the person is gone, deep relentless sadness, self-blame, bitterness, or anger in connection with the death, and an inability to gain satisfaction or joy through engaging in meaningful activities or relationships with significant others. Length of bereavement did not correlate with complicated grief scores. Catecholamines (i.e., epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) in plasma were assessed pre- and post-psychotherapeutic treatment. Participants with the highest levels of epinephrine at pre-treatment had the highest levels of complicated grief symptoms at post-treatment, accounting for baseline levels of symptoms. This predictive relationship was not seen for depressive symptoms. The present study supports the hypothesis that catecholamine levels are affected by bereavement, and in turn, can affect the ability of those with complicated grief to benefit from psychotherapy.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 349-352 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | International Journal of Psychophysiology |
| Volume | 88 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2013 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Bereavement
- Catecholamines
- Dopamine
- Epinephrine
- Grief
- Norepinephrine
- Psychotherapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Physiology (medical)
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Cite this
Catecholamine predictors of complicated grief treatment outcomes. / O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Shear, M. Katherine; Fox, Rachel; Skritskaya, Natalia; Campbell, Bevin; Ghesquiere, Angela; Glickman, Kim.
In: International Journal of Psychophysiology, Vol. 88, No. 3, 06.2013, p. 349-352.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Catecholamine predictors of complicated grief treatment outcomes
AU - O'Connor, Mary-Frances
AU - Shear, M. Katherine
AU - Fox, Rachel
AU - Skritskaya, Natalia
AU - Campbell, Bevin
AU - Ghesquiere, Angela
AU - Glickman, Kim
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Could sympathetic hyperarousal limit treatment success in complicated grief? The present study investigated persons with complicated grief, a chronic condition with distinct symptoms including persistent intense yearning and longing for the person who died, avoidance of reminders that the person is gone, deep relentless sadness, self-blame, bitterness, or anger in connection with the death, and an inability to gain satisfaction or joy through engaging in meaningful activities or relationships with significant others. Length of bereavement did not correlate with complicated grief scores. Catecholamines (i.e., epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) in plasma were assessed pre- and post-psychotherapeutic treatment. Participants with the highest levels of epinephrine at pre-treatment had the highest levels of complicated grief symptoms at post-treatment, accounting for baseline levels of symptoms. This predictive relationship was not seen for depressive symptoms. The present study supports the hypothesis that catecholamine levels are affected by bereavement, and in turn, can affect the ability of those with complicated grief to benefit from psychotherapy.
AB - Could sympathetic hyperarousal limit treatment success in complicated grief? The present study investigated persons with complicated grief, a chronic condition with distinct symptoms including persistent intense yearning and longing for the person who died, avoidance of reminders that the person is gone, deep relentless sadness, self-blame, bitterness, or anger in connection with the death, and an inability to gain satisfaction or joy through engaging in meaningful activities or relationships with significant others. Length of bereavement did not correlate with complicated grief scores. Catecholamines (i.e., epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) in plasma were assessed pre- and post-psychotherapeutic treatment. Participants with the highest levels of epinephrine at pre-treatment had the highest levels of complicated grief symptoms at post-treatment, accounting for baseline levels of symptoms. This predictive relationship was not seen for depressive symptoms. The present study supports the hypothesis that catecholamine levels are affected by bereavement, and in turn, can affect the ability of those with complicated grief to benefit from psychotherapy.
KW - Bereavement
KW - Catecholamines
KW - Dopamine
KW - Epinephrine
KW - Grief
KW - Norepinephrine
KW - Psychotherapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84884163272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84884163272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.09.014
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.09.014
M3 - Article
VL - 88
SP - 349
EP - 352
JO - International Journal of Psychophysiology
JF - International Journal of Psychophysiology
SN - 0167-8760
IS - 3
ER -