As part of a longitudinal study of bereavement phenomena in three groups, bereaved spouses, bereaved adult children and bereaved parents, scale development was carried out using a pool of bereavement phenomenology questions administered prospectively. The items were derived from the literature, in particular studies dealing with the measurement of grief/bereavement, as well as from clinical experience. Factor analysis of theoretically grouped items produced seven subscales, three of which tapped frequently experienced phenomena in the bereaved. These three subscales formed the basis of a single measure, labelled the Core Bereavement Items (CBI), which demonstrated high reliability and sound face and discriminant validity. Preliminary analysis suggested that the CBI will prove to be a reliable and valid instrument with respect to the measure of core bereavement phenomena in commonly bereaved groups in Western society.

Objective: Despite its long and auspicious place in the history of psychiatry, dissociative identity disorder (DID) has been associated with controversy. This paper aims to examine the empirical data related to DID and outline the contextual challenges to its scientific investigation. Method: The overview is limited to DID-specific research in which one or more of the following conditions are met: 1) a sample of participants with DID was systematically investigated, 2) psychometrically-sound measures were utilised, 3) comparisons were made with other samples, 4) DID was differentiated from other DID: An empirical overview 2 disorders, including other Dissociative Disorders, 5) extraneous variables were controlled or 6) DID diagnosis was confirmed. Following an examination of challenges to research, data is organised around the validity and phenomenology of DID, its aetiology and epidemiology, the neurobiological and cognitive correlates of the disorder, and finally its treatment. Results: DID was found to be a complex yet valid disorder across a range of markers. It can be accurately discriminated from other disorders, especially when structured diagnostic interviews assess identity alterations and amnesia. DID is aetiologically associated with a complex combination of developmental and cultural factors, including severe childhood relational trauma. The prevalence of DID appears highest in emergency psychiatric settings and affects approximately 1% of the general population. Psychobiological studies are beginning to identify clear correlates of DID associated with diverse brain areas and cognitive functions. They are also providing an understanding of the potential metacognitive origins of amnesia. Phase-oriented empirically-guided treatments are emerging for DID. Conclusions: The empirical literature on DID is accumulating, although some areas remain under-investigated.Existing data show DID as a complex, valid, and not uncommon disorder, associated with developmental and cultural variables, that is amenable to psychotherapeutic intervention. KeywordsDissociative identity disorder, validity, phenomenology, aetiology, psychobiology, [see Taylor, 1983 ], Janet, 1907Prince, 1905). More recently DID has become the subject of considerable debate (e.g., Dalenberg et al., 2012;Gleaves, 1996;McHugh and Putnam, 1995;Merskey, 1992), especially around its validity, aetiology and prevalence. Often This overview is designed to provide a current "broad-brush" outline of the scientific foundation of DID by focusing on DID-specific research. Thus the overview excludes opinion pieces and papers without DID data and is confined to studies identified in searches of major psychological (e.g., Psycinfo) and psychiatric databases (e.g., Medline) which investigated individuals with DID where one or more of the following conditions were met: 1) a sample of participants with DID was systematically investigated, 2) psychometrically-sound measures were utilised, 3) comparisons were made with other samples, 4) DID was differentiat...

Evidence from this study supports the hypothesis that in non-clinical, community-based populations the frequency with which core bereavement phenomena are experienced is in the order: bereaved parents > bereaved spouses > bereaved adult children.

In a non-clinical community sample of bereaved people, delayed or absent grief is infrequently seen, unlike chronic grief, which is demonstrated in a minority.