The authors interviewed 162 widows 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after
bereavement to determine which sociodemographic, prebereavement, and
response variables and circumstances of the husband's death were related to
distress level, as measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The
most important variable associated with high distress at 1 month was the
woman's perception that she was seeing old friends less than before her
husband's death. At 2 years it was possible to predict distress levels with
86% accuracy by means of a multiple regression analysis using 10 variables,
including 1-month GHQ score, short final illness of the husband, and
satisfaction with available help.Abstract Teaser