The loss of a family member in contexts of sociopolitical violence may lead to persistent psychological distress. In the context of the Spanish Civil War, the absence of recovery of human remains and the uncertainty about their location may significantly interfere with the grieving process. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the structure of psychological distress in relatives of victims of the Spanish Civil War, considering the availability of human remains.

A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 83 relatives of victims of the Spanish Civil War (42.2 % men and 57.8 % women; mean age = 58.9 years). Grief intensity, post-traumatic symptomatology (intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal), perceived stress, cognitive fusion, institutional support, and participation in commemorative rituals were assessed. Network analyses were carried out by differentiating three groups according to the availability of human remains.

The results show differential patterns in the organization of psychological distress symptomatology among the groups. In relatives without remains and without information, distress was structured mainly around post-traumatic symptomatology. In the group that does not have remains but believes they know their location, the network appeared disorganized and showed centrality of hyperarousal. In contrast, relatives who have the remains presented a network with more cohesive symptomatology, in which the contribution of grief scores and cognitive processes stands out.

These findings indicate that psychological distress is not homogeneous and highlight the relevance of institutional measures for the recovery of human remains.