Pet Loss, Complicated Grief, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Hawaii

We examined the impact of pet/animal death on Complicated Grief (CG) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in relation to demographic variables amongst a diverse population of racial and ethnic groups in Hawaii. Three hundred and fifty-five participants (142 solicited by mail, 213 volunteer college students) completed a 37-item questionnaire, the Inventory of Complicated Grief Revised Short Form (ICG-R-SF) and the PTSD Check-list (PCL), and we assessed relationships between demographic variables such as pet ownership with CG and PTSD scores, to gauge potential at-risk populations. While Filipino populations presented increased, if subclinical, CG and/or PTSD scores, no primary racial/ethnic identity correlated with significant scores, based on the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Individuals who scored higher on questions related to empathy with animals, such as adopting strays, feeling like their pet can sense their mood, integration of animals into the family unit, and feeling over-protective of their pet correlated with higher CG and PTSD scores. We found that 3.8% of participants met the cutoff score for CG and 5.7% met the cutoff score for PTSD, following the death of a pet/animal. There is a need for multicultural awareness regarding both human–pet/animal relationships and bereavement.