Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31978784›Full record

ArticleComprehensive psychiatry2020

Transitional objects of grief.

Richard D Goldstein, Carter R Petty, Sue E Morris, Melanie Human, Hein Odendaal, Amy J Elliott, Deborah Tobacco, Jyoti Angal, Lucy Brink, Holly G Prigerson

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Comprehensive psychiatry, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Richard D GoldsteinDivision of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: Richard.goldstein@childrens.harvard.edu.
Carter R PettyInstitutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Sue E MorrisDepartment of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Melanie HumanFaculty of Medicine and Health Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
Hein OdendaalFaculty of Medicine and Health Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
Amy J ElliottCenter for Pediaetric and Community Research, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
Deborah TobaccoCenter for Pediaetric and Community Research, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
Jyoti AngalCenter for Pediaetric and Community Research, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
Lucy BrinkFaculty of Medicine and Health Science, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
Holly G PrigersonCenter for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center · USStellenbosch University · ZAHarvard University · USBoston Children's Hospital · USCornell University · US

Funding

Prenatal Alcohol in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Stillbirth (PASS) NetworkU01HD045935 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA · PI ELLIOTT, AMY J · 2003 to 2015
$16.9M
Prenatal Alcohol in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Stillbirth (PASS) NetworkU01AA016501 · NIAAA · STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY · PI ODENDAAL, HENDRIK JOHANNES · 2006 to 2015
$10.0M
Safe PASSage Study Administrative Supplement - Effects of Overnight Maternal SleeU01HD055154 · NICHD · DM-STAT, INC. · PI DUKES, KIMBERLY A. · 2006 to 2017
$9.7M
Prenatal Alcohol Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/StillbirthU01HD045991 · NICHD · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOSTON · PI KINNEY, HANNAH CHASE · 2003 to 2015
$8.4M
Prenatal Alcohol in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Stillbirth (PASS) NetworkU01HD055155 · NICHD · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI FIFER, WILLIAM P., MYERS, MICHAEL MORGAN · 2006 to 2015
$7.1M
NIAAA NIH HHS U01 AA016501NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD045935NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD045991NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD055154NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD055155
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransitional objects provide security and symbolic connection with valued others when separated from them. Bereaved parents often keep, cherish and visit saved objects of their deceased child. This research examined the hypothesis that these objects behave as transitional objects of grief in bereaved mothers during three years following their infants' deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

methodsQuestionnaires were administered asking about the presence of kept objects and momentos from their deceased infant, and the frequency, location and emotions experienced during visits to them. Diagnostic criteria for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) were assessed using the Parental Bereavement Questionnaire.

results98.6% of the mothers reported having transitional objects of grief, and most visited them more frequently than once per week regardless of PGD status. Mothers with PGD reported significantly more distress when visiting the objects, especially those visiting them privately. Mothers with PGD who felt comforted by the objects had lower risk for finding life meaningless or finding discussion about the infant intolerable.

conclusionsTransitional objects of grief are common and associated with key aspects of grief. There is a need to understand the potential therapeutic uses of transitional objects in promoting bereavement adjustment.

Identifiers

PMID31978784
PMCPMC7351592
OpenAlexW3000728576

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.