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Attachment insecurities, continuing bonds, and grief among family caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients: A longitudinal study
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  • Wan-Lin Lee,
  • Yaw-Sheng Lin,
  • Emily Liu,
  • Chih-Tao Cheng,
  • Shu Kao
Wan-Lin Lee
Fu Jen Catholic University College of Medicine
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Yaw-Sheng Lin
National Taiwan University Department of Psychology
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Emily Liu
Fu Jen Catholic University College of Medicine
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Chih-Tao Cheng
Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Shu Kao
Taipei Medical University Hospital Department of Family Medicine
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Abstract

The present study investigated the associations among pre-loss grief, attachment insecurities, continuing bonds (CBs) with the deceased person, and the post-loss adjustment of the caregivers of patients with terminal cancer. Data were collected in the hospice department of a cancer center in northern Taiwan; 66 bereaved caregivers completed both pre-loss and post-loss scales. The measures used for the pre-loss phase included the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (HGRC; pre-loss version), the Experiences in Close Relationship — Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS), and the Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale (IOS). The measures used 6-12 months after the death of the patients were the HGRC (post-loss version) and the Continuing Bond Scale (CBS). Results showed that pre-loss grief, attachment avoidance, and externalized CBs explained 46% of the variance in post-loss grief, indicating that pre-loss grief and ongoing transformation of relationships after patients’ death may be strong predictors of caregivers’ post-loss grieving.