Prolonged grief disorder, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder among bereaved Kosovar civilian war survivors: a preliminary investigation.

Overview

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at examining diagnostic concordance between Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among bereaved war survivors who had lost relatives due to war-related violence. METHOD: We investigated the rates of PGD and its association with PTSD and MDD among 60 bereaved people who had lost first-degree relatives due to war-related violence seven years ago and had also experienced other war-related events. RESULTS: The results indicated that 38.3% of the sample fulfilled the criteria for PGD, 55.0% for PTSD, and 38.3% for MDD. Thirty per cent of the participants without PTSD and 21.6% of those without MDD met criteria for PGD. Women were more likely to have PGD than men. The immediate threat to life was significantly associated with an elevated risk for PTSD and MDD, but not PGD. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that many cases of PGD would be missed by an exclusive focus on PTSD among bereaved war survivors.