Grief · Assessment
Prolonged Grief Disorder Screen
DSM-5-TR symptom checklist
Prolonged Grief Disorder (DSM-5-TR) applies when intense grief persists more than 12 months (6 months in children) and impairs function. This is a screen, not a diagnosis.
Symptoms present most days
- Intense yearning or longing for the person
- Preoccupation with thoughts or memories
- Identity disruption ('part of me died')
- Marked disbelief about the death
- Avoidance of reminders
- Intense emotional pain (anger, bitterness, sorrow)
- Difficulty reintegrating (friendships, interests, planning)
- Emotional numbness
- Feeling life is meaningless
- Intense loneliness
How long since the loss; how symptoms have moved
A screen, not a verdict
Meeting criteria doesn't mean you're grieving wrong. It means specific grief-focused treatment (CGT, PGDT) will likely help more than general therapy.