Prolonged grief — formerly called complicated grief — is a disorder recognized in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, characterized by intense and persistent longing for the deceased plus difficulty accepting the loss, lasting more than 12 months (6 in children) and causing significant functional impairment. It affects 10-15% of bereaved individuals.
Concept origin
Prigerson and colleagues proposed the construct in 1995 and developed the Prolonged Grief Scale (PG-13). Inclusion in DSM-5-TR (2022) as 'Prolonged Grief Disorder' resulted from decades of research differentiating it from major depression and PTSD.
How it manifests
- ▸ Intense, daily longing for the deceased person
- ▸ Difficulty accepting the death or the world without the deceased
- ▸ Bitterness or intense anger over the loss
- ▸ Feeling that a part of oneself died with the other person
Therapeutic approach
Shear's (2005) Prolonged Grief Therapy (PGT) has the strongest evidence: it combines psychoeducation, review of the loss story, imaginal conversations with the deceased, and restoration work to re-engage with life.
Related concepts
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