Are Sensory Experiences of One's Deceased Spouse Associated with Bereavement-Related Distress?

Following late-life spousal bereavement, sensory and quasi-sensory experiences of the deceased (SED) are commonly reported. This longitudinal study examined SED among 310 older widowed adults 6-10 (T1) and 18-20 (T2) months post loss. Reports of SED in the first 6-10 months after loss were associated with higher symptom levels of prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and loneliness at T1.

Prevalence and Phenomenology of Sensory Experiences of a Deceased Spouse: A Survey of Bereaved Older Adults.

Sensory and quasi-sensory experiences of the deceased (SED), also called bereavement hallucinations, are common in bereavement, but research detailing these experiences is limited. An in-depth survey of SED was developed based on existing research, and 310 older adults from the general Danish population participated in the study 6-10 months after their spouse died. SED were reported by 42% of the participants with wide-ranging phenomenological features across sensory-modalities.

Sensory experiences of one's deceased spouse in older adults: An analysis of predisposing factors.

This study focuses on pre-disposing factors associated with sensory experiences of the deceased (SED), also called bereavement hallucinations. Even though SED are common among older widowed adults, our knowledge of these experiences is still limited. Survey responses were obtained from 310 older widowed participants ( = 70.

Sensory and Quasi-Sensory Experiences of the Deceased in Bereavement: An Interdisciplinary and Integrative Review.

Bereaved people often report having sensory and quasi-sensory experiences of the deceased (SED), and there is an ongoing debate over whether SED are associated with pathology, such as grief complications. Research into these experiences has been conducted in various disciplines, including psychiatry, psychology, and anthropology, without much crossover. This review brings these areas of research together, drawing on the expertise of an interdisciplinary working group formed as part of the International Consortium for Hallucination Research (ICHR).

How many bereaved people hallucinate about their loved one? A systematic review and meta-analysis of bereavement hallucinations.

Background: Bereavement hallucinations (BHs) entail a perception of a deceased in any sense modality or as a quasi-sensory sense of presence. BHs are an associated feature of the proposed Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) in DSM-5. The goals of this review are to estimate the prevalence of BHs, identify possible moderators, and review the methodological status of this research field.

Bereavement hallucinations after the loss of a spouse: Associations with psychopathological measures, personality and coping style.

Bereavement hallucinations (BHs) were assessed in 175 conjugally bereaved participants 4 years post loss, to explore whether BHs were: (a) associated with psychological distress and (b) predicted by sociodemographic variables, personality and/or coping style. Participants with BHs scored significantly higher than those without BHs on prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, depression symptoms, and emotional loneliness. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis showed avoidant coping, openness to experience, and length of marriage to significantly predict BHs, while detached coping was negatively associated with BHs.