Table 2.
Risk factors for pathological bereavement
| Risk factors related to the deceased’s characteristics and to the circumstances of death |
Loss of a child, a spouse, a sibling Death from cancer Traumatic context (e.g. suicide) Sudden death Low preparation for death (not just for suicide) Specificities induced by the disease and its treatments Deficient quality of care and end-of-life support Duration of relationship Conflicting and avoidant relationship Dysfunctional family dynamics Type of attachment to the deceased (insecure, anxious, dependent, ambivalent, disorganized) [10, 12, 16, 23–30] |
| Risk factors linked to the bereaved |
Young and old Gender (Women) Low level of income Low level of education Childhood neglect and abuse Insecure attachment mode Separation anxiety History of depression, emotional disturbances, psychiatric pathologies Previous losses, difficult experiences, succession of difficult bereavements, unresolved old bereavements Low sense of internal control Coping of dysfunctional grief Low level of optimism Feeling of burden Impact of care on the caregiver's schedule Negative perception of the death situation Exhaustion Difficulties in carrying out daily activities Lack of religious beliefs |