Do emotion regulation difficulties mediate the association between neuroticism, insecure attachment, and prolonged grief?

In this study, we aimed to test the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties between prolonged grief disorder symptoms and three risk factors: neuroticism, avoidant attachment, and anxious attachment. A total sample of 203 bereaved participants was included in the study. Path analysis revealed that emotion regulation difficulties partly mediated the links between neuroticism, avoidant attachment, and prolonged grief symptoms, and mediated the link between anxious attachment and prolonged grief symptoms. The findings suggested that emotion regulation difficulties might be an important factor contributing to prolonged grief symptoms among bereaved individuals with high neuroticism and insecure attachment.

Automated summary

This study found that emotion regulation difficulties mediate the relationship between neuroticism, avoidant attachment, anxious attachment, and prolonged grief symptoms. The findings suggest that emotion regulation difficulties may be an important factor in contributing to prolonged grief symptoms among bereaved individuals with high neuroticism and insecure attachment.