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Prolonged Grief Disorder: Psychometric Validation of Criteria Proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11

Authors:
Prigerson, Holly G.
Horowitz, Mardi J.
Jacobs, Selby C.
Parkes, Colin M.
Aslan, Mihaela
Goodkin, Karl
Raphael, Beverly
Marwit, Samuel J.
Wortman, Camille
Neimeyer, Robert A.
Bonanno, George
Block, Susan
Kissane, David
Boelen, Paul
Maercker, Andreas
Litz, Brett T.
Johnson, Jeffery G.
First, Michael B.
Maciejewski, Paul K.

Source:
PLoS Medicine: 2009, 6(8) e1000121.

Summary

This article describes a study to evaluate the psychometric validity of the criteria that have been proposed for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). The criteria assessed included the presence of yearning for the deceased, and at least five of the following nine symptoms: feeling emotionally numb, feeling stunned, feeling that life is meaningless, experiencing mistrust, having bitterness over the loss, having difficulty accepting the loss, experiencing identity confusion, avoiding the reality of the loss, and having difficulty moving on with life. Additional criteria for PGD are the presence of symptoms for at least six months following the death, and functional impairment associated with the symptoms. The authors interviewed 291 bereaved individuals at 0-6, 6-12, and 12-24 months post-loss and performed statistical analyses to determine the validity of the criteria. The authors conclude that the criteria are valid, and recommend that the proposed criteria for PGD be included in the DSM-V.

Key Words: prolonged, psychometric, validation, DSM, ICD

Service Provider Implications

Service providers who work with the bereaved may benefit from becoming familiar with the criteria proposed for PGD.