Factorial validity of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief-Present scale among bereaved older adults

Abstract

The Texas Revised Inventory of Grief-Present scale (TRIG-Present) is one of the most widely used grief measures; however, researchers have only empirically examined the validity and underlying factor structure of TRIG-Present scores in a few studies. Hence, in the present investigation, we sought to examine the factorial validity of the TRIG-Present (those scores that index current grief) among 2 samples of bereaved older adults--a community-dwelling sample of 162 individuals who experienced a diverse set of losses in terms of relationship to the deceased and time since loss, and a recently widowed sample of 212 individuals who were assessed at 2-months and 12-months postloss. Across both samples, we found support for a 3-factor model, composed of clusters of items representing Emotional Response, Thoughts, and Nonacceptance regarding a loss. Additionally, this 3-factor model exhibited significant invariance from 2-months to 12-months postloss in the recently widowed sample. Analyses examining the convergent validity of these 3 factors also suggest that this conceptualization of the TRIG-Present could have practical advantages and potentially influence the way in which clinicians and/or researchers assess grief and evaluate bereavement interventions.

Figures

Figure 1

Results of confirmatory analyses of the 3-factor model of grief in the recently-widowed sample at 2 and 12-months following the loss of a spouse (N’s = 209 and 164, respectively) and in the community-dwelling sample (N = 162). The first and second estimates are for the recently-widowed sample at 2 and 12-months postloss, respectively. The third estimate is for the community-dwelling sample. Estimates in bold are set to unit value.