The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
Elevated Rates of Prolonged Grief Disorder in African Americans
Authors:
Goldsmith, B.
Morrison, R. S.
Vanderwerker, L. C.
Prigerson, H. G.
Source:
Death Studies: 2008. Volume 32, pp. 352-365.
Summary
This article analyzes the prevalence of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) in African Americans. PGD is the term that is being used to replace what previously was called complicated grief. PGD is being considered as a diagnostic category in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and is considered to be a debilitating mental illness that represents abnormally intense and prolonged grief. The authors used the revised Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG-R) to measure the presence of PGD. The authors concluded that African Americans had a significantly higher (2.5 times higher) incidence of PGD following bereavement than did Whites. The authors recommend additional research to identify why African Americans may experience higher rates of PGD.
Key words: African American, complicated, trauma, pathology, prolonged
Service Provider Implications
This article provides important information regarding Prolonged Grief Disorder and its prevalence among African Americans. Service providers are urged to be aware of the characteristics of PGD, and to be sensitive to its presence among African Americans as well as other clients.
