Investigating the relationship between self-monitoring satisfaction and prolonged grief disorder symptoms in bereaved individuals

A minority of bereaved individuals experiences intensified grief that impairs them in daily life for a longer period of time, known as Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) is found useful to assess PGD but is also a form of self-monitoring, which is said to have therapeutic potential. Self-monitoring satisfaction may be related to the efficacy of self-monitoring. This study aimed to investigate the influence of self-monitoring satisfaction on PGD levels. Bereaved individuals’ PGD levels and their satisfaction with self-monitoring were assessed. The association between self-monitoring satisfaction and PGD levels was examined using linear regression models while controlling for number of observations and initial PGD levels. Self-monitoring satisfaction was positively associated with PGD levels. Number of observations was not related to PGD levels. When initial PGD levels were controlled for, self-monitoring satisfaction no longer predicted PGD levels. Initial PGD levels did strongly predict PGD levels after self-monitoring. The findings indicate that self-monitoring satisfaction did not seem to be related to PGD levels through an influence on the efficacy of self-monitoring. It is possible that self-monitoring satisfaction was found to be higher for individuals with higher PGD levels due to an increased motivation or perceived need for self-monitoring.