THE LOSS RESPONSE LIST: A TOOL FOR MEASURING ADOLESCENT GRIEF RESPONSES

Single adolescent girls aged 13-19 years participated in pilot (n=40) and follow up (n=164) studies to develop the reliability and validity of the Loss Response List (LRL). The LRL measures physical, emotional, social, and cognitive grief responses by comparing groups based on pregnancy status (never pregnant, pregnant, perinatal loss, and perinatal loss and pregnant). The pilot study revealed significant results on emotional, social, and cognitive grief responses between the perinatal loss and no-perinatal loss groups. Follow-up study results indicated significant differences between the perinatal loss group and the other groups on grief subscales. Significant differences also occurred between perinatal loss and never pregnant groups on depression. The LRL should be useful in gathering information about adolescent grief responses, including perinatal loss.