Understanding Black and African American Grief Following Inclusion of Prolonged Grief Disorder in the DSM-5-TR.

Abstract

Black and African Americans experience bereavement more frequently and earlier in life than White Americans and thus may be more impacted by prolonged grief disorder (PGD). With the revision of the DSM-5 and the inclusion of PGD as a recognized psychiatric syndrome, researchers have an opportunity to further the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of PGD in Black grievers residing in the United States. Relatively little research has been devoted to the specific risks and resiliencies impacting bereavement-related mental health outcomes among these individuals. Participants in our study were invited to participate in a Qualtrics-based survey disseminated through Centiment. A total of 259 participants were included in the final sample. Overall findings suggest demographic factors such as educational attainment and gender were not significantly associated with PGD. Factors such as younger age, prior trauma exposure, and violent circumstances of the death were associated with PGD, though only PTSD and anxiety symptoms were associated with PGD after adjusting for co-occurring mental health symptoms. These findings point to identifiable risk factors and resilience factors that may contribute to grief trajectories among Black grievers.