[Toward cultural assessment of grief and grief-related psychopathology]

Ways of dealing with bereavement and grief are influenced by the norms of one's cultural identity. Cultural assessment of bereavement and grief is therefore needed for a comprehensive evaluation of grief-related psychopathology and for negotiating appropriate treatment. Cultural aspects of bereavement and grief include cultural traditions related to death, bereavement, and mourning as well as help seeking and coping. To facilitate clinical exploration of cultural aspects of bereavement and grief, the authors propose a set of brief, person-centered, and open-ended questions as a draft supplementary module to the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview. Three case vignettes show how cultural assessment of bereavement and grief may contribute to diagnosis, treatment, and enhancing rapport in patients who seek help following the loss of loved ones.