title: What is "normal" in grief?
abstract: Research conducted over the past two decades has revealed that grief, a common phenomenon experienced by many people following the loss of a loved one, is rarely experienced as a steady progression from high acuity (intensity) to eventual resolution. Instead of this single "traditional" path, four distinct trajectories are supported by empirical data: resilience, chronic grief, depressed-improved, and chronic depression. Furthermore, a small subset of individuals never fully integrate the loss into their life, and continue to experience severe disruption in daily life many years after the loss event, a phenomenon known as Complicated Grief (CG). Continued empirical research will help further our understanding of the normative grief process and CG as a disorder. This information is crucial for informing clinicians of best practices when attending to those suffering from loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Boulevard, Room 430, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Arizmendi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Boulevard, Room 430, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States. Electronic address: mfoconnor@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Mary-Frances
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001601:Bereavement; D003376:Counseling; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D011368:Professional-Family Relations
keywords: Bereavement; Complicated Grief; Grief; Grief trajectories; Grief treatment; Immune system; Widow