Validity and Reliability Study of Turkish Forms of the Quality of Relationships Inventory-Bereavement Version and the Bereavement Guilt Scale.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Turkish forms (TR) of the Quality of Relationships Inventory-Bereavement Version (QRI-B) and the Bereavement Guilt Scale (BGS).

Method: The sample consisted of 447 bereaved adults who lost a loved one due to death at least 6 months ago and within the past 5 years. Participants completed the QRI-B, BGS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Prolonged Grief Inventory (PG-13), The Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory (GMRI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSS) ve Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS).

Results: Results of the explanatory factor analysis showed a good fit between the BGS-TR and the original form of BGS consisting of a 5-factor and 14 items. Besides, the QRI-B-TR showed a similar fit with the original QRI-B consisting of a 2-factor and 13 items, except for item 1. The QRI-B-TR and BGS-TR had positive correlations with the PGI and BDI, and negative correlations with the RSS, LSS, and GMRI-growth subscale. These correlations supported the convergent validity. After controlling for demographic variables, the subscales of the QRI-B-TR and BGS-TR explained 49% of the variance in prolonged grief symptoms. Internal consistency values of the total scale and the subscales for both instruments ranged between 0.70 and 0.94.

Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated that the Turkish versions of the QRI-B-TR and BGS-TR were reliable and valid psychometric tools. Additionally, it was shown that quality of pre-death relation and grief related guilt were strong predictors of prolonged grief symptoms.