Bereavement issues and prolonged grief disorder: A global perspective.

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Psychology
• Cross-Cultural Studies

Background:

• Bereavement, the experience of loss, is universal and elicits grief, a complex response.
• While most individuals adapt, a subset develops prolonged grief disorder (PGD).
• Cultural variations exist in grief expression and risk for PGD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a global perspective on bereavement, grief, and prolonged grief disorder (PGD).
• To highlight the need for culturally adapted PGD assessment and treatment.
• To emphasize the importance of transcultural research for understanding and managing PGD globally.

Main Methods:

• Literature review.
• Global perspective analysis.
• Cross-cultural comparison.

Main Results:

• Grief reactions are broadly consistent across cultures, but expressions vary.
• Specific populations (e.g., refugees) face higher PGD risk.
• Current PGD diagnostic criteria and treatments are largely Western-based with limited cultural adaptation.

Conclusions:

• Cross-cultural validation of PGD screening is crucial for non-Western contexts.
• Transcultural research is needed to identify culture-bound PGD symptoms.
• Adapting treatments will improve individual health and healthcare systems globally.