Prolonged Grief Disorder

Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a pathological form of grieving characterized by chronic, functionally disabling symptoms following a loss. Alternatively referred to as complicated grief, pathological grief, or traumatic grief, PGD includes symptoms such as intense yearning for the deceased, difficulty accepting the loss, difficulty moving forward in life, and feeling that life is empty or meaningless since the loss. To qualify for a PGD diagnosis, an individual must continue to show daily or disabling levels of these symptoms for at least 6 months following the loss. The most widely used measures in the assessment and diagnosis of PGD are the Inventory of Complicated Grief, the Prolonged Grief 13, and the Brief Grief Questionnaire. Studies have found that about 10% to 20% of bereaved individuals ...