Brief Description
The Prolonged Grief Disorder-Revised (PG-13-R) is an assessment tool designed to help clinicians accurately diagnose Prolonged Grief Disorder. Respondents answer 13 questions in total. The first two items seek information on the loss the respondent is contending with (Have you lost someone significant to you? And how many months has it been since your significant other died?). The items 3-12 ask the respondent to rate how often they experience grief-related symptoms (e.g., do you have trouble believing that the person who died is really gone?) on a scale from “Not at all” to “Overwhelmingly.” The final item assesses functional impairment caused by grief. The PG-13-R is widely used in clinical settings to distinguish Prolonged Grief Disorder from normal bereavement, aiding in the development of appropriate therapeutic interventions.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
13
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No recommended standard frequency; Blueprint recommends monthly or as clinically indicated.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Scoring the PG-13-R involves evaluating 13 items that measure the length of time, severity, and impact of prolonged grief symptoms. The assessment is divided into three sections that align with diagnosing Prolonged Grief Disorder using DSM 5 criteria.
Presence of Loss and Time Frame. Has the respondent suffered a significant loss? And did the loss occur over 12 months ago? If yes to both questions, the respondent meets these criteria for a PGD diagnosis.
Presence and Intensity of Core Symptoms. The total score for core symptoms of PGD is found by summing the responses on items 3-12. These items are answered using a 5-point Likert scale that ranges from 1-5. The total range of scores is 10-50. Higher scores indicate greater emotional distress caused by prolonged grief. The cutoff score of 30 indicates probable Prolonged Grief Disorder.
Functional Impairment. Item 13 assesses the presence of significant impairment in life functioning. If the respondent indicates "yes" to this question, they meet this criteria for a PGD diagnosis.
If all 3 sections are indicated as meeting the criteria for a Prolonged Grief Disorder, a diagnosis is very likely. Each of the three sections above results in its own subscale score, although only the Presence and Intensity of Core Symptoms subscale score is counted toward the total score for core symptoms.
Blueprint Adjustments
Item 2 requests information on the length of time since the respondent’s significant other passed away. Blueprint does not currently allow for write-in responses and thus asks if the length of time is greater than 12 months; this is in accordance with the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. For ease of reviewing scores, Blueprint has created unique subscale scores for (1) Presence of Loss and Time Frame, (2) Presence and Intensity of core Symptoms, and (3) Functional Impairment. These adjustments do not affect the overall score on the measure. Blueprint’s Total Score only displays the Present and Intensity of Core Symptoms score.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 3-5 minutes.
Be aware of cultural norms and practices surrounding grief to avoid misdiagnosis. Some cultures may express grief in ways that differ from Western norms but are not pathological.
Citation
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