Continuing bonds and adjustment at 5 years after the death of a spouse

“The CBS has shown good internal consistency (a ¼ .87) and is positively related to ratings of satisfaction with the relationship and negatively related to the degree of blame in a role-played conversation with the deceased (Field et al., 2003).”

“To address this question, Field et al. (2003) conducted a follow-up study on this same sample, in which they assessed a wide variety of attachment behaviors at 5 years post-loss (see earlier discussion).”

“Several recent studies have shown, for example, that variables measuring what was thought to be an adaptive psychological bond with a deceased spouse (e.g., “my spouse continues to be a loving presence in my life”) turn out to predict surprisingly poor long-term adjustment ( Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003; Field, Nich…”

“Recent empirical literature suggests that CB is not invariably adaptive, however (Field, Nichols, Holen, & Horowitz, 1999 ; Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003 ).”

“However, many — though not all (e.g., the possessions items) — of the items of Field's continuing bonds scale somewhat reflect mental representations (see Field et al., 2003).”

“Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003 ; Shuchter & Zisook, 1993 ).”

“Some research indicates that use of continuing bonds was more likely when predeath relationships were positive; in contrast, anger and blame expressed toward the deceased postloss seemed to thwart the use of continuing bonds (Field et al., 2003).”

“In fact, from a Freudian and medical model perspective, emotional disengagement was essential to the successful adaptation of bereavement ( Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonnano, 2003; Freud, 1917=1957; Klass & Walter, 2001; Raphael, 1983).”

“19 Despite this important shift of perspective, it should not be overlooked that according to recent empirical studies the emphasis on „continuing bondsB may not be invariably adaptive (Field et al. 2003, 2005).”

“The CBS has shown good internal consistency (alpha = .87) and is positively related to ratings of satisfaction with the relationship and negatively related to the degree of blame in a role-played conversation with the deceased (Field et al., 2003).”

“Field, Gal-Oz, and Bonanno (2003) conducted a study and found that the greater satisfaction of the relationship prior to the death, the higher the continuing bonds with the deceased.”

“…presence; identification with the deceased’s habits, values, and interests; the deceased’s positive influence on the bereaved; attempts to carry out the deceased’s wishes; use of deceased’s viewpoint in decision-making; and reminiscence with others about the deceased (Field et al., 2003, p. 112).”

“…with the between-person positive correlation shown between the aggregate CB measure and the IES-Intrusion stress symptom measure are in keeping with the results of previous studies indicating that CB is associated with greater bereavement-related distress (Field et al., 1999; Field et al., 2003).”

“Current measures, such as the Continuing Bonds Scale (Field et al., 2003), focus primarily on purposeful reminders and comforting effects.”

“However, in contrast, Field, Gal-Oz, and Bonanno (2003) examined the effects of fond memories about the deceased on grief 5 years postloss and found that having many fond memories was correlated with more grief but uncorrelated with depression, the Symptom Checklist (Derogatis, 1983), and positive states of mind.”

“The current findings link up with earlier studies that have shown that some forms of continuing bonds expressions are related to maladjustment to bereavement (Field et al., 2003; Field & Friedrichs, 2004; Schut et al., 2006, this issue).”

“CBs research has distinguished adaptive and mal-adaptive potentials following bereavement (Field et al., 2003; Stroebe & Schut, 2005).”

“…12 and 18 months, and at multiple time points in years with a particular interest in the first five years after bereavement (Utz et al., 2011, 2014; Bonanno et al., 1999; Middleton et al., 1996; Field et al., 2003; Sasson and Umberson, 2014; Galatzer-Levy and Bonanno, 2012; Holland et al., 2014).”

“The continuing bonds items for this study were adapted from the Continuing Bonds Scale (CBS) (Field et al., 2003) for use in a brief interview format.”

“Field et al. (2003) argued that the living can also maintain relational continuity, or continue bonds, with the deceased using communication.”

“The CBS (Field et al., 2003) was incorporated to provide a global assessment of CBs.”

“The degree to which parents experienced a continued connection with their child was measured by the validated, reliable Continuing Bonds Scale (CBS), an 11-item measure (Field et al., 2003).”

“Although higher scores are associated with more difficulties following loss, this factor addresses a domain that is not typically assessed in relationship (Field, 2006; Field et al., 2003).”

“…research by Field et al. (2013), Field and Filansky (2010), Field et al. (2005), Field, Packman, Davies, and Kramer (2004), Field et al. (2004), and Field et al. (2003) has supported the existence of differentiated CB expressions in terms of either internalized or externalized connections.”

“The scale has yielded good internal consistency (Cronbach’s a¼ 0.87; Field et al, 2003).”

“Thus, the adaptive function of continuing bonds appears to change over time and vary across domains of functioning (e.g., psychological well-being, levels of grief, positive, and negative mood; Field et al., 2003).”

“Field et al. (2003) developed the Continuing Bonds Scale that primarily focuses on comforting effects and purposeful reminders.”

“Field, 2006 ; Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003 ; Fraley & Shaver, 1999 ; Reisman, 2001 ; Stroebe, Schut, & Stroebe, 2005 ).”

“By using a longitudinal design, our study remedied a major limitation of many earlier studies of the relationship between continuing bonds and adaptation that used cross-sectional designs (e.g., Field & Friedrichs, 2004; Field et al., 2003).”

“In Western countries, reported components of ‘Continuing Bonds’ include retaining the deceased’s possessions [32], having inner conversations with the deceased [33], and imagining the deceased’s viewpoint [7].”

“Similar indications have been made by the earlier research on bereavement that the greater satisfaction in the past relationship is predictive of higher continuing bond (Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003 ).”

“There has been no consensus among researchers on the subtypes of CB variants and how they affect postbereavement adjustment (Rando, 1993; Vickio, 1999; Field et al., 2003; M. S. Stroebe et al., 2005).”

“48 Continuing bonds with the deceased can be experienced emotionally, through missing, yearning, and feeling strongly connected to the loved one, 49 and cognitively, by thinking of and remembering the deceased person.”

“Unhelpful coping strategies (OG-CS)–This 23-item questionnaire asks participants on a 5-point scale (1—never to 5 –always) to indicate how often they used particular strategies to cope with their loss that are thought to maintain grief cognitions and symptoms [39,44].”

“Field et al. (2003) identify two main ways bereaved spouses maintain bonds; first, through physical means, for example, keeping possessions, and; second, through spiritual connections.”

“In another of their studies, Field et al. (2003) examined the long-term outcomes of a sample of bereaved participants.”

“Field, Gal-Oz, and Bonanno (2003) illustrated this point in their evaluation of different continuing bonds expressions indicating the current attachment to the deceased spouse 5 years after the loss.”

“The scale has shown good internal consistency (a ¼ .87) and it is positively related to ratings of satisfaction with the relationship with the deceased (Field et al., 2003).”

“For example, experiences such as seeing the deceased, hearing their voice, feeling their touch physically, using or keeping their possessions, having a dream of them, looking at the photographs, visiting the cemetery, talking to them, going to places they used to go, adopting the personal characteristics of the deceas…”

“In a recent article (Field, Gal-Oz, & Bonanno, 2003 ), items relating to the continuing bonds with the deceased were placed together on a single scale.”

“[18, 20, 42, 43] In fact, some exposure treatments already contain techniques to reduce such behavior.”

“However, the present study indicates that young adults’ accounts of coping with the loss of close friends are similar to grief processes described by previous studies of continuing bonds for adults who experienced the death of a family member such as a spouse or child (Field et al. 2003; Scholtes and Browne 2015).”

“Proximity seeking (i.e. aiming to restore a connection with the deceased) reflects a process also known as continuing bonds (Field et al., 2003).”

“The principal models refer to three traditions: the grief work hypothesis [29–31], cognitive coping strategies [32,33], and attachment theory [34–36].”

“This particular fi nding appears di ffi cult to reconcile with the Approach-Avoidance Processing Hypothesis and suggestions that maintaining a strong bond with the deceased could be a way to avoid the permanence of separation from the deceased (e.g. Boelen et al., 2006b; Field et al., 2003).”

“The study used the 11-item version of the CBS, which is relatively short, easy to administer, and often used in CB studies (e.g. Currier et al., 2015; Field et al., 2003; Karydi, 2018; Neimeyer et al., 2006).”

“In Western studies, “avoidance” [21, 22], “continuing bonds” [11, 23], “sensemaking” [24, 25], and “emotional disclosure” [26] were reported as coping strategies of the bereaved.”

“Due to the diversity of findings and the inability of studies to depict the time order of variables (Field et al., 2003), it has been difficult for researchers in the adult bereavement field to make any definitive suppositions about the adaptive or maladaptive nature of CBs.”

“…bonds is characterized by overt proximityseeking behaviors such as reminiscing, telling stories about the deceased person, looking at photographs of the deceased person, keeping possessions belonging to the deceased person, visiting graves, or other memorial activities (Field et al., 2003).”

“, 2013; Scholtes and Browne, 2015), duration after loss (Field and Friedrichs, 2004; Scholtes and Browne, 2015), age of the deceased (Scholtes and Browne, 2015), and subjective closeness with the deceased (Field et al., 2003) were also reported as an influencing factor of CB.”

“The CBS was used in the present study; however, this was developed for bereaved partners (Field et al., 2003).”

“Given that time since loss is known to be an influential factor in the nature and adaptiveness of CB expression (Field et al., 2003), we included time since loss as a covariate.”

“The CBS was fi rst developed by Field and his colleagues and validated in different forms and widely used in English-speaking samples (Field & Filanosky, 2009; Field et al., 1999, 2003; Scholtes & Browne, 2014; Stroebe et al., 2012) as well as in one Italian sample (De Luca et al., 2016).”

“Although the continuing bonds model has gained popularity with clinicians and researchers, opponents of this theory argue that there is a need for more empirical research to support it (Field et al., 2003).”

“87 (Field et al., 2003), which was further confirmed by Neimeyer, Baldwin, and Gillies (2006) in a diverse sample of bereaved young adults (Cronbach’s alpha 1⁄4 .”