title: Prolonged grief disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bereavement is a universal experience, and its association with excess morbidity and mortality is well established. Nevertheless, grief becomes a serious health concern for a relative few. For such individuals, intense grief persists, is distressing and disabling, and may meet criteria as a distinct mental disorder. At present, grief is not recognized as a mental disorder in the DSM-IV or ICD-10. The goal of this study was to determine the psychometric validity of criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD) to enhance the detection and potential treatment of bereaved individuals at heightened risk of persistent distress and dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 291 bereaved respondents were interviewed three times, grouped as 0-6, 6-12, and 12-24 mo post-loss. Item response theory (IRT) analyses derived the most informative, unbiased PGD symptoms. Combinatoric analyses identified the most sensitive and specific PGD algorithm that was then tested to evaluate its psychometric validity. Criteria require reactions to a significant loss that involve the experience of yearning (e.g., physical or emotional suffering as a result of the desired, but unfulfilled, reunion with the deceased) and at least five of the following nine symptoms experienced at least daily or to a disabling degree: feeling emotionally numb, stunned, or that life is meaningless; experiencing mistrust; bitterness over the loss; difficulty accepting the loss; identity confusion; avoidance of the reality of the loss; or difficulty moving on with life. Symptoms must be present at sufficiently high levels at least six mo from the death and be associated with functional impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The criteria set for PGD appear able to identify bereaved persons at heightened risk for enduring distress and dysfunction. The results support the psychometric validity of the criteria for PGD that we propose for inclusion in DSM-V and ICD-11. Please see later in the article for Editors' Summary.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. Holly_Prigerson@dfci.harvard.edu
authors: Holly G
authors: HG
authors: Prigerson
authors: Mardi J
authors: MJ
authors: Horowitz
authors: Selby C
authors: SC
authors: Jacobs
authors: Colin M
authors: CM
authors: Parkes
authors: Mihaela
authors: M
authors: Aslan
authors: Karl
authors: K
authors: Goodkin
authors: Beverley
authors: B
authors: Raphael
authors: Samuel J
authors: SJ
authors: Marwit
authors: Camille
authors: C
authors: Wortman
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Neimeyer
authors: George A
authors: GA
authors: Bonanno
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Bonanno
authors: Susan D
authors: SD
authors: Block
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Kissane
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Boelen
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Maercker
authors: Brett T
authors: BT
authors: Litz
authors: Jeffrey G
authors: JG
authors: Johnson
authors: Michael B
authors: MB
authors: First
authors: Paul K
authors: PK
authors: Maciejewski
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001601:Bereavement; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index