TABLE 2.
Prolonged grief disorder assessment measures
| Assessment | Description | Scaling | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-report measures | |||
| Brief Grief Questionnaire (49) | Five-item, brief-screening, self-report measure that assesses grief-related symptoms | 0=not at all, 1=somewhat, 2=a lot | Range=0–10. Total score≥8 indicates probable prolonged grief disorder. Total scores from 5 to 7 indicate subthreshold prolonged grief disorder. |
| Inventory of Complicated Grief (50) | 19-item, self-report measure assessing grief severity | 0=never, 1=rarely, 2=sometimes, 3=often, 4=always | Range=0–76. Clinical cutoff≥25 or≥30. |
| Prolonged Grief Disorder-13 (51) | 13-item, self-report measure that assesses grief-related feelings, thoughts, and actions | Duration and impairment rated as yes or no; 11 other items rated 1 (not at all) to 5 (several times a day or overwhelmingly) | Range=11–55. Scored by summing the symptom items after excluding the two yes or no items. Suggested clinical cutoff≥35. |
| Diagnostic interviews | |||
| Structured Clinical Interview for Complicated Grief (52) | 31-item, clinician-administered interview that assesses prior month grief symptoms to determine prolonged grief disorder diagnosis | 1=not present, 2=unsure or equivocal, 3=present | Range=31–93. As yet, no suggested clinical cutoff. Used to supplement clinical judgment of diagnosis. |
| Clinician-Administered Prolonged Grief Disorder Scalea | Scale assessing clusters of symptoms, including yearning and emotional pain; cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms; symptom onset and duration; and distress and impairment | 0=absent, 1=mild and subthreshold, 2=moderate, 3=severe, 4=extreme and incapacitating | Psychometric evaluation ongoing. |
| Assessments of select grief characteristics | |||
| Yearning in Situations of Loss Scale-Bereaved (53) | 21-item, self-report measure of longing for the deceased | 1=never, 3=sometimes, 5=always | Range=21–105. No currently suggested cutoff. |
| Typical Beliefs Questionnaire (54) | 25-item, self-report measure of maladaptive thoughts related to grief | 0=not at all, 1=somewhat, 2=moderately, 3=strongly, 4=very strongly | Range=0–100 raw total, 0–25 dichotomized. Scoring can be continuous total scores or dichotomous scoring (3 or 4 is endorsed). |
| Grief-Related Avoidance Questionnaire (55) | 15-item, self-report measure assessing grief-related physical and mental avoidance behaviors | 0=never, 1=rarely, 2=sometimes, 3=often, 4=always | Range=0–60. Total score calculated through summing. Factor-based subscales include reminder of loss, reminder of death, and sympathy situation. |