Prolonged grief disorder in psychiatric patients: Assessing the PG-13-R scale and clinical implications

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) was recently included in the DSM-5-TR. Although the diagnostic criteria for PGD have been established, its prevalence among psychiatric patients and its implications remain underexplored. This study aimed to determine the rate and characteristics of PGD among psychiatric patients and assess the utility of the PG-13-R scale as a potential predictive screening tool within this population.

Data were collected from 259 psychiatric patients at a University Hospital's Psychiatry Unit. Patients completed the PG-13-R scale and provided details about the loss and its circumstances. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and ROC analysis were conducted to analyze the data.

Overall, 15.4% of participants met the DSM-5-TR criteria for PGD, with no significant demographic differences observed. Notably, these patients were more likely to have lost a first-degree relative. The PG-13-R mean total score was 23.76 (SD 11.47). Although a cutoff score of 30 aligned with syndromal-level PGD, additional ROC analyses identified threshold scores of 24 for patients whose loss occurred less than 6 months prior (AUC 0.73) and 27 for those whose loss occurred more than 6 but less than 12 months prior (AUC 0.97), each demonstrating over 90% sensitivity in detecting high-risk cases. Patients re-evaluated 12 months post-loss showed a significant decrease in grief scores (p < .001), yet those initially at higher risk often maintained elevated symptom levels.

Our study highlights the significant burden of PGD among psychiatric patients and emphasizes the importance of integrating grief assessment and intervention into psychiatric care to improve outcomes for individuals at risk of PGD. The PG-13-R emerges as a valuable tool for screening and addressing prolonged grief in this population.