Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Date

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Joah Williams

Committee Member

Helen Sable

Committee Member

Kristoffer Berlin

Committee Member

Rory Pfund

Abstract

The deleterious effects of surviving the sudden loss of a close other are widespread, yet largely underexamined among emerging adults. Despite evidence recognizing prolonged grief (PG), posttraumatic stress (PTS), and depression as related yet distinct syndromes, there is a gap in knowledge in how this these symptoms cohere and to what extent overall health functioning relates to this constellation in sudden loss survivors. The present study used network systems modeling to examine centrality patterns within and across domains of PG, PTS, depression, and overall health functioning among undergraduate students bereaved by sudden loss (N = 606). Results from one-step bridge expected influence estimates indicated that positively associated symptoms such as PTS-related risk-taking and reliving, and PG-related difficulty trusting, difficulty accepting the loss, shock, and avoiding reminders of the loss demonstrated strongest connectivity across domains. Indicators of overall health were inversely associated with symptom domains, suggesting that greater PG, PTS, and depression symptom severity in PTS, PG, and depression corresponds to poorer functioning related to emotional problems, pain, general mental health, and physical functioning. All within- and cross-domain network models demonstrated adequate stability levels (CS[cor = 0.7] = 0.36 to 0.75).

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access.

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