摘要Background:The Wenchuan earthquake in China caused shock and grief worldwide.Sudden bereavement caused by the earthquake led to physical disorders as well as psychological disturbances in the bereaved individuals.The bereaved had a high risk for complicated grief (CG),which may have led to significant distress and impairment in their health.However,there was few available studies on CG among disaster-bereaved individuals in China after the disaster.The aim of this study was to identify factors (demographic characteristics and disaster-related variables) associated with symptoms of CG among the bereaved 18 months after the Wenchuan earthquake.Methods:This study was conducted with a cross-sectional design and a convenience sample of 27 1 bereaved individuals from three of the hardest hit areas.Data were collected by questionnaires and the instruments used in the study were:General questionnaire and Inventory ofCG (ICG).Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms of CG.Results:The mean score on ICG was 52.77 (standard deviation:10.00).Being female and loss of a child were related to higher level of CG while having another child after the disaster and receiving psychological counseling experience were associated with lower level of CG.Forty-nine percent of the variance of CG was explained by these identified factors.Conclusions:Eighteen months after the Wenchuan earthquake,the symptoms of CG among the bereaved were higher than the previous studies with bereaved individuals.This study uncovers a vulnerable population of the bereaved at high risk for CG.Early assessments,targeted interventions,and policy support tailored for the disaster-bereaved individuals are necessary to identify and alleviate symptoms of CG and to improve their well-being.