Risk factors for mental health problems and complicated grief in bereaved families of motor vehicle accident victims

Abstract

This study examined the risk factors for mental health problems and complicated grief in bereaved families using a nationwide sample of 453 Japanese adults who had lost a family member to a motor vehicle accident within three years. The results indicate that 31.0% of participants had K6 scores > 13 and 61.0% had ICG (Inventory of Complicated Grief) scores > 26. A higher K6 score was associated with secondary victimization and support seeking, whereas a higher ICG score was associated with the death of a child. Dispute over the liability for the accident and the resulting anxiety, measured by the Japanese version of ECR (Experiences in Close Relationships), were common predictors of higher K6 and ICG scores. The results suggest that complicated grief is more dependent on the circumstances of the death, whereas mental health problems are more affected by a participant’s coping after the death, implying that effective support and interventions are necessary for mental health problems and complicated grief after a violent death.