The development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Centrality of Loss Scale (CLS) in a national sample of bereaved adults from Poland

Centrality of loss reflects the extent to which the death of a loved one becomes a central reference point, shaping thoughts, emotions, identity, and daily activity. We developed the Centrality of Loss Scale (CLS) and tested its psychometric properties and incremental association with grief severity beyond bereavement context. A national sample of bereaved Polish adults (N = 886; 51.0% female) completed the CLS alongside measures of prolonged grief, general distress, and bereavement context. Analyses supported a refined 7-item unidimensional solution with high internal consistency. CLS scores correlated moderately with prolonged grief (PGD) and modestly with general distress. Factor analyses further supported the distinctiveness of CLS from PGD and depression. The CLS explained substantial incremental variance in grief severity beyond bereavement context variables (ΔR² =.38; context ΔR² =.10). The CLS indexes how loss becomes integrated into identity and daily life as a construct related to, but distinct from, PGD.