A Comparison of Depression in Women Bereaved of a Spouse, Child, or a Parent

To investigate depression following bereavement, 255 adult middle-aged women (117 widows, 58 mothers, and 80 adult daughters) completed the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI). The intensity of the level of depression was analyzed across the three types of bereavement. Bereaved mothers had significantly higher levels of depression than both widows and bereaved adult daughters. Over 60 percent of the mothers had depression scores in the moderate to severe depression range. Widows had significantly higher levels of depression than adult daughters.