Grief in the DSM-5: The Most Recent Diagnostic Guidelines (3 CEs)

This three-hour presentation examines the evolving conceptualization and diagnostic classification of grief-related conditions across editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Beginning with the introduction of uncomplicated bereavement as a condition warranting clinical attention in the DSM-III, the session traces the progression of research on complicated grief and the resulting diagnostic debates, revisions, and controversies that ultimately contributed to the inclusion of prolonged grief disorder in the DSM-5-TR.

Participants will review the historical development and clinical implications of the bereavement exclusion in major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder, as well as the emergence of persistent complex bereavement disorder in the DSM-5. The presentation will also provide a detailed overview of the diagnostic criteria for prolonged grief disorder as outlined in both the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11. Emphasis will be placed on differential diagnosis between normative grief, prolonged grief disorder, major depressive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder to support clinical decision-making, equipping practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply sound diagnostic judgment and develop effective, evidence-informed treatment plans.