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.
Is There More to Complicated Grief Than Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? A Test of Incremental Validity
Authors:
Bonanno, George A.
Yuval, Nevia
Mancini, Anthony
Coifman, Karin G.
Litz, Brett
Insel, Beverly
Source:
Journal of Abnormal Psychology: 2007, Volume 116, Number 2, pp. 342-351.
Summary
This article addresses the issue of whether a new diagnostic category that reflects the characteristics of complicated grief (CG) should be developed and considered for inclusion in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The article specifically addresses the question of whether CG represents a unique category of psychopathology that is not captured in either depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors conducted studies with individuals who had lost family members and assessed the presence of depression, PTSD symptoms, and CG reactions. The authors concluded that CG symptoms predicted an individual’s functioning beyond that resulting from the use of depression and PTSD assessments. Thus, the authors support the idea that CG is a construct separate from depression or PTSD.
Key words: complicated, trauma, prolonged, depression, posttrauma, pathology
Service Provider Implications
This article suggests that the creation of a diagnostic category that reflects complicated grief may be appropriate, since this construct appears to be distinct from either depression or posttraumatic stress disorder.
