This study examined changes in Pre-Loss Grief (PLG) among individuals whose family member has a life limiting illness and how baseline psychosocial factors predicted PLG. This two-wave study recruited family members of advanced cancer (N = 100) and dementia (N = 38) patients. A subsample completed 1-month follow-up (Cancer = 33; Dementia = 28). Higher caregiver burden and female participants predicted greater PLG at follow-up, accounting for baseline PLG. Family members of dementia patients (10.5%) were significantly more likely than family members of cancer patients (2.1%) to be in the “severe PLG” group. Findings demonstrate psychosocial factors related to PLG, informing interventions aimed at reducing PLG.

本研究检查了家庭成员患有限制生命疾病的个体的失去前悲伤 (PLG) 的变化，以及基线心理社会因素如何预测 PLG。这项两波研究招募了晚期癌症（N  = 100）和痴呆（N  = 38）患者的家庭成员。一个子样本完成了 1 个月的随访（癌症 = 33；痴呆 = 28）。更高的照顾者负担和女性参与者预测随访时的 PLG 更高，占基线 PLG。痴呆患者的家庭成员 (10.5%) 明显高于癌症患者的家庭成员 (2.1%) 属于“严重 PLG”组。调查结果表明与 PLG 相关的社会心理因素，为旨在减少 PLG 的干预措施提供信息。