Prolonged Grief Disorder and the DSM: A History.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Mental Health

Background:

• Disordered grief research in the early 1990s distinguished it from depression and anxiety.
• Initial research developed a measurement inventory for disordered grief.

Purpose of the Study:

• To refine the measurement of disordered grief using advanced psychometric techniques.
• To develop more effective therapies for grief-related distress when standard treatments for depression were insufficient.
• To establish a formal diagnostic category for prolonged grief disorder.

Main Methods:

• Advanced psychometric techniques were employed to measure disordered grief.
• Development of novel therapeutic interventions targeting complex grief.
• Consensus-building through summit meetings and review of existing criteria.

Main Results:

• Disordered grief was established as distinct from, though overlapping with, depression and anxiety.
• A hybrid disorder incorporating elements from different conceptualizations was proposed in the DSM-5 appendix in 2013.
• A revised prolonged grief disorder was officially recognized as a diagnosis in the DSM.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged grief disorder is a distinct clinical entity requiring specific diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches.
• The evolution of its diagnostic status reflects advancements in understanding and conceptualizing complicated grief.
• Official recognition facilitates research, diagnosis, and treatment of prolonged grief disorder.