CBP Complicated Grief and Prolonged Grief Disorder Flashcards

Research consistently identifies which factor as a RISK for complicated grief following traumatic bereavement?

Answer: Pre-existing attachment insecurity or anxious attachment style

Anxious or insecure attachment styles are consistently identified as risk factors for complicated grief, as they are associated with difficulty adjusting to the permanent absence of an attachment figure.

The concept of 'shattered assumptions,' as described by Ronnie Janoff-Bulman, explains complicated grief in terms of:

Answer: The traumatic disruption of core beliefs about safety, meaning, and self-worth

Janoff-Bulman's shattered assumptions theory holds that traumatic loss disrupts core worldviews about safety and meaning, forming a foundation for understanding complicated and traumatic grief.

A bereaved client reports re-experiencing intrusive images of her son's accident scene, nightmares, and hypervigilance six months after the death, alongside intense grief. A CBP practitioner should FIRST consider a possible comorbid diagnosis of:

Answer: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) alongside Prolonged Grief Disorder

Traumatic bereavement can produce co-occurring PTSD and PGD, and practitioners must assess for both conditions since they require different but complementary treatment approaches.

In the context of PGD treatment, the goal of 'aspirational goals' work in CGT is to:

Answer: Re-engage the client with future-oriented goals and life purpose beyond grief

Aspirational goals work in CGT helps clients reconnect with their own sense of purpose and future, addressing the identity disruption and meaninglessness central to PGD.

Which pharmacological intervention has the MOST empirical support as an adjunct to psychotherapy for Prolonged Grief Disorder in adults?

Answer: Citalopram (SSRI) has shown modest support in some trials, though psychotherapy remains first-line

While psychotherapy remains the primary evidence-based treatment for PGD, some SSRI trials (notably citalopram) have shown modest benefit as adjuncts, especially for comorbid depression.

A CBP practitioner notices a client with complicated grief is 'stuck' because she cannot discuss the death without immediately shutting down. This MOST likely reflects which therapeutic challenge?

Answer: Grief avoidance maintaining the disorder, requiring a paced, titrated approach to processing

Grief avoidance—where the client cannot tolerate grief-related content—is a core maintenance factor in PGD and requires a carefully paced, titrated therapeutic approach to avoid retraumatization.