Which statement by a spouse after the death of a partner suggests prolonged grief disorder, according to the example provided?

Which statement by a spouse after the death of a partner suggests prolonged grief disorder, according to the example provided?

• A. She initially denied that the partner died.
• B. She talked about her husband extensively in the years after his death.
• C. She stated that she expects him home soon on the anniversary of his death.
• D. She cried uncontrollably and unpredictably in the weeks after her husband's death.

Answer: (C)

Prolonged grief disorder is marked by persistent, pervasive grief with an intense longing for the deceased and difficulty accepting the loss, lasting well beyond what is typically expected and often causing functional impairment. The statement that she expects her husband to be home soon on the anniversary of his death shows a continuing belief that he might return and a sustained longing for reunion. This reflects an inability to accept the death and a preoccupation with the deceased that goes beyond normal bereavement, fitting the pattern of prolonged grief. Denying the death early can be a normal initial reaction, crying uncontrollably in the weeks after death is part of acute grief, and talking about the deceased extensively over the years can be normal reminiscence or adaptive processing for some; none of these inherently signal the persistent, impairment-driven pattern characteristic of prolonged grief disorder.

Prolonged grief disorder is marked by persistent, pervasive grief with an intense longing for the deceased and difficulty accepting the loss, lasting well beyond what is typically expected and often causing functional impairment. The statement that she expects her husband to be home soon on the anniversary of his death shows a continuing belief that he might return and a sustained longing for reunion. This reflects an inability to accept the death and a preoccupation with the deceased that goes beyond normal bereavement, fitting the pattern of prolonged grief.

Denying the death early can be a normal initial reaction, crying uncontrollably in the weeks after death is part of acute grief, and talking about the deceased extensively over the years can be normal reminiscence or adaptive processing for some; none of these inherently signal the persistent, impairment-driven pattern characteristic of prolonged grief disorder.