Complicated grief: A systematic review of the last 20 years

Grief is a common reaction to the feeling of loss and it is considered a physiological and instinctive response. The 'normal' grief evolves into an 'integrated' phase within 1 year from death, and it is a non-pathological condition, that do not require specific therapeutic interventions. When this 'integrated phase' does not occur, the subject could reach pathological manifestations related to the grief. The Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) is a new DSM5 clinical category characterized by symptoms related to the detachment and to the post-traumatic distress and it differs from normal and uncomplicated grief, for the disability caused by these reactions and their persistence and pervasiveness.

The purpose of this work is the analysis of the pathways that led to this new definition, through a review of the main studies published in the last 20 years, with the aim to clarify the clinical utility of this new diagnostic category.

Relevant publications done in the last 20 years were identified via electronic searches of Pubmed, Embase, and Elsevier databases using the terms 'complicated grief' AND 'persistent', according to PRISMA guideline and PICO study design.

PCBD results a new important clinical category showing specific symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and treatment. It presents many differences with other pathologies, that goes into differential diagnosis with PCBD, and it and can be treated with targeted therapeutic approaches. Diagnostic criteria for PCBD could allow an early diagnosis and a correct treatment avoiding underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis.

Further researches could focus on the evaluation of more neurobiological aspects, new psychometric tools, for assessing susceptibility to this pathology, and on the cultural aspects that may influence mourning reactions, in an ethno-psychiatric perspective.