A College Study of Grief, Depression, and Anxiety Senior Honors Project Research Conference Briana Paulo

Background Who am I? My project is a combination of my interests in psychology and thanatology Who am I? Undergraduate student in psychology and sociology, minor in thanatology Aspire to go to grad school for clinical psychology The Combination Links how we accommodate losses into our everyday lives The centrality of an event to who we are and how we live our lives

Learning Outcomes Learn how to create a research question and design a study that seeks to answer that question Submit a proposal worthy of IRB approval Learn how to effectively carryout a study Analyze original data and draw conclusions beneficial to the fields of psychology and thanatology

Generating a Research Question literature review the question

How to create a research question Literature review Past research has mainly been understanding loss and symptoms of PTSD Complicated grief vs. grief Differences and implications for this study Studies have found: More losses = more cases of complicated grief CG levels were elevated in depressed individuals more symptoms of complicated grief in individuals with PTSD Higher levels of meaning-making were associated with better grief outcomes; higher level of post-loss attachment were associated with more symptoms of complicated grief Grief is the emotional response to a past, present, or future loss. Complicated grief is a heightened state of mourning and grief that is debillitating and troublesome to the everyday functioning of the individual.

The Question… What is the relationship of loss and grieving with more common experiences of depression and anxiety? I became interested in the relationship between a past loss and more common experiences of anxiety. Are the symptoms heightened when having experienced a loss? Are they heightened when the loss is more central to their present-day life?

scales design of the study hypotheses the IRB proposal Designing a Study scales design of the study hypotheses the IRB proposal

The Scales What constructs are being used? Centrality of Events Scale Example: “I feel that this event has become a central part of my life story.” Adult Attitude to Grief Scale Example: “I feel that I am able to face the emotional pain which comes with my loss.” How these scales fit together Choosing depression and anxiety scales Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale CES Construct: memories of trauma or high-level stress events form reference points ; to what extent are they (1) a reference point, (2) a turning point, and/or (3) a central component of personal identity. AAG Explores differences in response to loss: controlled, balanced, overwhelmed CES and AAG fit together: a controlled or balanced response to grief can relate to the event being a reference point or turning point. An overwhelmed attitude is expected to relate to the event being more central to their identity presently Depression/anxiety scales: able to measure clinical symptomology of these disorders. Did not include a measure for suicide ideation because then we would have to report it – compromise the confidentiality of the participants in the study

Design of the Study Cross-sectional design Web-based Study population Correlational Web-based Study population Demographics cross-sectional design: at one period in time, not longitudinal Correlational: seeking to find a relationship between variables of loss and depression/anxiety – not a causal effect Study population: undergraduate students, expected age range 17-19 years Demographics: primarily white, female, middle class SES

Hypotheses Higher reported centrality of a stressful life event will be associated with more symptoms of depression and anxiety. Less controlled attitude to grief of the individual will be associated with the more symptoms of depression and anxiety. Positive correlation between centrality of a stressful life event and symptoms of depression/anxiety Negative correlation between less controlled attitude to grief and more symptoms of depression/anxiety

The IRB Proposal (Institutional Review Board) The importance of informed consent Components of the application Overview Possible risks and harms Potential to benefit subjects and to the fields Participants and recruitment Confidentiality Informed consent Belmont report, required for all participants who participate in a study Includes a description of the project, who to contact for any questions, description of the study and what will be done, risks/discomforts, study benefits, confidentiality, their rights – can opt out Application overview: research design, scales Risks/harms: some possible distress/discomfort because they are asked to reflect on a stressful life event and a loss Benefits: therapy for individuals who experienced a loss to better tailor it to simultaneous symptoms of depression/anxiety; add to literature on the correlation between grief and PTSD symptoms Participants: psy 113 students, recruited in class for course credit Limitations: speak english, have internet access Confidentiality: no indentifying information asked or kept, will be given an anonymous, random number, only researchers involved will have access to the data

analyses to be used looking at moderators Analytic Plan analyses to be used looking at moderators

Analytic Plan Correlational study tests Looking at moderators Gender Age Correlational study – chi squared tests, possibly t-tests Moderators: Gender – females are expected to experience less controlled attitude to grief on basis of women self-reporting more depression Age – looking at different developmental stages, young vs late adulthood (past research has been in late adulthood)

the future short term and long Conclusion the future short term and long

Future Plans Anticipated work after graduation Continuing the study How does this contribute to the field of psychology? After graduation: working summer camp for children with behavioral disorders, possible research assistant position at Butler, applying to grad school Continuing the study: