CBP Complicated Grief and Prolonged Grief Disorder Flashcards

Disenfranchised grief, as described by Kenneth Doka, occurs when:

Answer: A loss is not openly acknowledged, publicly mourned, or socially supported

Doka defined disenfranchised grief as grief that results from a loss not openly acknowledged or socially supported, leaving the bereaved person without recognized grieving rights.

A client who lost her partner 18 months ago refuses to enter their shared bedroom, maintains all possessions unchanged, and cannot function at work. This pattern is MOST consistent with:

Answer: Prolonged Grief Disorder with avoidance and functional impairment

Situational avoidance, preservation of the deceased's environment, and functional impairment beyond 12 months are hallmark presentations of Prolonged Grief Disorder.

When differentiating Prolonged Grief Disorder from Major Depressive Disorder, which feature is MORE specific to PGD?

Answer: Intense yearning and preoccupation specifically focused on the deceased

While sadness and functional impairment overlap between PGD and MDD, intense yearning and a grief-specific preoccupation with the deceased are distinguishing markers of PGD.

In complicated grief, imaginal revisiting exercises in Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT) are intended to:

Answer: Help the client process and integrate the memory of the death rather than avoid it

Imaginal revisiting in CGT uses guided imagery of the death to help the client process avoided aspects of the loss and reduce the avoidance maintaining complicated grief.

Which of the following is an example of a 'secondary loss' that may complicate grief?

Answer: Loss of financial security, social identity, and daily routines following the spouse's death

Secondary losses—such as financial, social, and identity losses that cascade from the primary death—can compound grief and contribute to its complexity.

A CBP practitioner is treating a widower with PGD who habitually avoids all social contact and activities he previously shared with his wife. The MOST indicated next therapeutic step is:

Answer: Introducing graduated situational exposure to avoided activities within the therapeutic frame

Graduated situational exposure—gradually re-engaging with avoided activities and places—is a core component of CGT and evidence-based practice for PGD.