Testing the Grief to Personal Growth Model Using Structural Equation Modeling

The belief that loss can result in growth has been hypothesized for centuries.Yet, traditional grief theories have viewed grief work as a process of resolving grief and returning to normal. Formal conceptualizations of grief to growth models have been recently delineated by several grief theorists. The Grief to Personal Growth model represents one emergent perspective of the qualitative changes resulting from the loss of a loved one. The model delineates a pathway through grief that indicates the bereft experience despair and detachment followed by intrusive thoughts and later avoidance of intense preoccupation with grief. Social support is shown to facilitate the bereft as they reconstruct their lives and find new meaning in life. A second path indicates that some bereaved individuals become mired in grief and need help to proceed toward personal growth. The model was tested in a sample of bereaved parents using structural equation modeling as a method of theory testing. The results of testing this model are presented within a framework of theory testing as a mechanism to bridge the gaps between theory, practice, and research. Implications for practice are considered.