Miscarriage: Is vividness of visual imagery a factor in the grief reaction of the partner?
Abstract
Objectives . In the context of recent findings concerning the unexpressed psychological reactions of men to their partner's miscarriage, this study explores the role of visual imagery in mediating this reaction. Design . Questionnaire data from 158 male partners of women who had miscarried prior to the start of the 25th week of pregnancy were collected with a view to exploring the relation of vividness of visual imagery within this cohort to their subsequent grief response. Methods . Volunteers recruited via referrals from general hospitals and general practices in the North East and Midlands regions of England, were administered the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, a modified object‐specific form, i.e. the Baby Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, and the Perinatal Grief Scale. Results . It was found that men with ‘unvivid’ visual imagery were less likely to have seen an ultrasound scan of their unborn child. When men were compared by the length of gestation at which the miscarriage occurred there was not a significant difference in vividness of visual imagery. Those men exhibiting vivid imagery exhibited significantly higher levels of measured grief when their partner miscarried than those of lower or unvivid imagery. Conclusions . These findings suggest that vivid visual imagery assisted or oriented men towards a sense of baby (or perceived foetal ontology) early in pregnancy, and in consequence they appeared at greater risk of negative impact following their partner's miscarriage.
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Ten included studies did not state whether institutional ethical approval had been sought or obtained.
“However, 10 studies did not state whether institutional ethical approval had been sought or obtained [25, 46, 79, 82, 83, 86, 87, 91, 93, 94].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
Thirteen included studies used the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) as a primary measure of grief.
“Although 13 studies used the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) as a primary measure of grief”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
With the exception of one study which employed author-developed measures of grief and support service satisfaction, the remaining quantitative studies employed standardised and validated measures for both predictors and grief.
“With the exception of one study which employed author-developed measures of grief and support service satisfaction [70] the remaining quantitative studies employed standardised and validated measures for both predictors and grief [23–25, 67, 76, 84, 86–96].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
There were mixed findings in terms of overall scale scores across similar studies looking at grief following miscarriage, with Despair (internalised grief) scores higher in men than those for Active Grief (externalised grief) in two studies, and lower in the remaining two.
“There were mixed findings in terms of overall scale scores across similar studies looking at grief following miscarriage, with Despair (internalised grief) scores higher in men than those for Active Grief (externalised grief) in two studies [87, 95], and lower in the remaining two [91, 96].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
Of the 12 quantitative studies that provided raw grief scores for men, outcomes varied considerably both between studies and within them.
“Of the 12 quantitative studies that provided raw grief scores for men, outcomes varied considerably both between studies and within them [23, 25, 67, 76, 84, 87, 88, 91, 93–96].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
The majority of average total PGS scores across remaining studies were between 73 and 83, with SDs ranging between values of 16 and 22.
“However, the majority of average total PGS scores across remaining studies were between 73 and 83, with SDs ranging between values of 16 and 22 [25, 87, 88, 91, 93].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
Of the included quantitative studies, 16 included an analysis on predictors of men's grief and/or correlations to related factors.
“Of the included quantitative studies, 16 included an analysis on predictors of men’s grief and/or correlations to related factors [23–25, 67, 76, 84, 86–93, 95, 96].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
Men with a strong visual image of their baby as measured by the Baby Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire ('vivid imagers') had an average PGS total score 40 points higher than those who did not.
“men with a strong visual image of their baby as measured by the Baby Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (“vivid imagers”) had an average PGS total score 40 points higher than those who did not [87].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [87]
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“The few exceptions include Long ( 1992; see concerns noted below ), Zeanah et al. ( 1995 ), and the two studies by Johnson and Puddifoot ( 1996, 1998 ).”
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- Authors
- Johnson, M. P., & Puddifoot, J. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Wolverhampton (GB)
- Teesside University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Johnson, Martin P.
- Venue
- British Journal of Health Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1998-05
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 137-146
- ISSN
- 1359-107X (ISSN-L)
- 2044-8287
- OpenAlex
- W2046223972
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- miscarriage, perinatal grief, male partners, visual imagery vividness, Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, ultrasonography, grief reactions
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