An Exploration of Prolonged Grief Disorder and Effective Treatments

Abstract

Grief is a normal and healthy process in response to being bereaved, that is the loss of a significant other. Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a specific type of complex grief that negatively affects health, social, and psychological functioning. According to recent studies, among those grieving the loss of a loved one, nearly 5% experience symptoms of PGD (Barrett et al., 2017). PGD has several features that differentiate it from normative grief, including a persistent yearning (i.e., rumination) for the deceased that exceeds 12 months and impacts daily and social functioning (Boelen & Smid, 2017). This dissertation includes a survey of the ways in which grief rumination contributes to the maintenance of PGD. The published research was explored for factors that may make grief rumination more likely, such as including insecure attachment and detraction from a productive grieving process. The negative consequences of a maladaptive grief response include social isolation, identity disruption, and loss of meaning in life. Finally, this research will investigate the function of meaning-making in the context of belief in God as an important consideration in the treatment of PGD.