Research Article
Prevalence and psychological correlates of complicated grief among bereaved adults 2.5–3.5 years after September 11th attacks
Yuval Neria,
Raz Gross,
Brett Litz,
Shira Maguen,
Beverly Insel,
Gretchen Seirmarco,
Helena Rosenfeld,
Eun Jung Suh,
Ronit Kishon,
Joan Cook,
Randall D. Marshall,
Corresponding Author
Yuval Neria
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
PhD, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Unit 69, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032.Search for more papers by this authorRaz Gross
Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorBrett Litz
Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA BHS, and Boston University School of Medicine and Department of Psychology, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorShira Maguen
Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA BHS, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorBeverly Insel
Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorGretchen Seirmarco
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorHelena Rosenfeld
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorEun Jung Suh
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorRonit Kishon
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorJoan Cook
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorRandall D. Marshall
Department of Psychiatry,Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorYuval Neria,
Raz Gross,
Brett Litz,
Shira Maguen,
Beverly Insel,
Gretchen Seirmarco,
Helena Rosenfeld,
Eun Jung Suh,
Ronit Kishon,
Joan Cook,
Randall D. Marshall,
Corresponding Author
Yuval Neria
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
PhD, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Unit 69, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032.Search for more papers by this authorRaz Gross
Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorBrett Litz
Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA BHS, and Boston University School of Medicine and Department of Psychology, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorShira Maguen
Behavioral Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA BHS, Boston, MA
Search for more papers by this authorBeverly Insel
Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorGretchen Seirmarco
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorHelena Rosenfeld
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorEun Jung Suh
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorRonit Kishon
New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorJoan Cook
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorRandall D. Marshall
Department of Psychiatry,Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
A Web-based survey of adults who experienced loss during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was conducted to examine the prevalence and correlates of complicated grief (CG) 2.5–3.5 years after the attacks. Forty-three percent of a study group of 704 bereaved adults across the United States screened positive for CG. In multivariate analyses, CG was associated with female gender, loss of a child, death of deceased at the World Trade Center, and live exposure to coverage of the attacks on television. Posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and increase in post-9/11 smoking were common among participants with CG. A majority of the participants with CG reported receiving grief counseling and psychiatric medication after 9/11. Clinical and policy implications are discussed.
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