Psychometric properties of the Inventory of Complicated Grief in Mexican community sample during COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to validate the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) in the adult population, since there is no valid instrument that evaluates this construct in the Mexican population.Method: This study was based on an Ex Post Facto, instrumental design with a convenience sample. The ICG was applied to 4014 participants (3540, females, 470 males and 4 individuals classified as other) who had experienced a loss of a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The internal reliability of each factor was examined by means of the Cronbach’s alpha index (α). Correlation analyses between the ICG, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Satisfaction with life scale and the Beck's Hopelessness Scale were performed to assess convergent and divergent validity of the ICG.Results: The ICG showed a high internal reliability with a Cronbach alpha of 0.92. The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that a four-factor model of the ICG (normal grief symptoms, emotional-anxious detachment, intense negative emotions, loss-impairing anxiety) fits the data well. According to bivariate analyses the ICG was correlated with measures of life satisfaction (r = -.208, n = 1984, p = .001), hopelessness (r = .522, n = 1984, p = .001), and depressive symptoms (r = .641, n = 1984, p = .001).Conclusions: The ICG with a Mexican sample is valid, with good psychometric properties and an appropriate measure of complicated grief for Mexican adults.