Guilt in Bereavement: The Role of Self-Blame and Regret in Coping with Loss

Despite the apparent centrality of guilt in complicating reactions following bereavement, scientific investigation has been
limited. Establishing the impact of specific components associated with guilt could enhance understanding. The aim of this
study was to examine the relationships between two guilt-related manifestations, namely self-blame and regret, with grief
and depression. A longitudinal investigation was conducted 4–7 months, 14 months and 2 years post-loss. Participants were
bereaved spouses (30 widows; 30 widowers); their mean age was 53.05 years. Results showed that self-blame was
associated with grief at the initial time-point and with its decline over time. Such associations were not found for
depression. Initial levels of regret were neither associated with initial levels of grief and depression, nor were they related to
the decline over time in either outcome variable. These results demonstrate the importance of examining guilt-related
manifestations independently, over time, and with respect to both generic and grief-specific outcome variables. A main
conclusion is that self-blame (but not regret) is a powerful determinant of grief-specific difficulties following the loss of a
loved one. Implications for intervention are considered.