TABstudiet
TABstudiet will examine grief reactions among bereaved who lost a spouse or a life partner. Research shows that this type of loss is among the most difficult to recover from, as your partner is typically your closest confidant. In addition to examining the loss of a partner, we also want to shed light on what it is like to lose a parent in adulthood. The existing literature has mainly focused on how this loss affects young children, but research suggests that the loss of a parent has a great impact on the bereaved children throughout life - also in adulthood.
The Aarhus Bereavement Study (TABstudy)
The TABstudy is a trajectory study of bereaved adults, who have lost a spouse or a parent and is conducted in 2016-2020. The study investigates how a loss affects the mental health of bereaved people in adulthood. The TABstudy’s aim is to identify the prevalence, structure, and risk factors for ICD-11 Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Additionally, the project will assess both individual and socio-economic costs of PGD.
The TABstudy compromises two independent research projects:
1. A survey study that includes more than 1000 bereaved adults in the age of 18-85 years. The study includes bereaved people, who recently have lost their spouse and their adult children, who recently have lost their parent. The study’s aim is to investigate how natural and prolonged grief reactions evolve over time.
Remarkably many bereaved people have shown interest in this study and responded to the questionnaires, and the study is therefore extended with further follow-ups. Because of this unique opportunity, it is possibly to gain knowledge about how a loss of a loved one affects bereaved peoples’ quality of life, well-being, and social network in the long-term perspective after a loss.
2. A randomized controlled trial examines the effect of psychological treatment of bereaved people, who have symptoms of PGD. The study compares a new developed treatment program called Compassion Focused Therapy for PGD with a wait-list control group. The study will investigate the cost-effectiveness of offering psychological treatment for symptoms of PGD.
If you have any questions, please contact us at tabstudiet@psy.au.dk
