Relational Needs in Grief Scale: Development and Psychometric Validation

The disruption of attachment bonds through bereavement often leads to unfulfilled relational needs, emphasizing the importance of evaluating these processes systematically. Based on Erskine and Payàs’s conceptualization of relational needs, the present study aims to develop and psychometrically validate the Relational Needs in Grief Scale (RNGS). Data from 354 bereaved participants in an online cross-sectional survey were collected to investigate the instrument’s factorial structure, reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity. Results from Exploratory Factor Analysis identified two factors: “Need for Protection and Validity” and “Need for Mutuality”. Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed the scale’s two-dimensional nature. Stepwise elimination of underperforming items led to substantial improvements in model fit. The Need for Protection and Validation was positively associated with attachment-related anxiety and negatively with avoidance, and it significantly predicted prolonged grief symptoms. The final 11-item total scale and subscales yielded high internal consistency reliabilities (Cronbach’s α: 0.81–0.94, McDonald’s ω: 0.81–0.95) and satisfactory convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity. The RNGS constitutes a novel and psychometrically valid tool for both research and clinical practice, enabling the systematic assessment of the relational needs profile and informing the development of tailored interventions.