Traumatic Grief: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention / Edition 1

by Selby Jacobs

Overview

The loss of a family member, significant other, or friend exposes the afflicted person to a higher risk for several types of psychiatric disorders. In addition to the potential complications that include major depression, anxiety, and PTSD, there is much current (and renewed) interest in pathologic forms of grief. Jacobs, in this innovative new text, introduces the term traumatic grief as description of this diagnostic entity. Here, working criteria, associated descriptive features, and the clinical course of traumatic grief are detailed as the author further verifies the concept of traumatic grief as a disorder. As this is the first discussion of the clinical use of the diagnostic criteria for traumatic grief, this text serves as a foundation for psychiatric diagnosis and treatment of traumatic grief. The format follows the outline for disorders used in the DSM making this a useful tool for the practicing clinician.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780876309865
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/01/1999
Series:	Series in Trauma and Loss
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	132
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Attachment Behavior and Therapy; Definition of Traumatic Grief as a Disorder; Diagnosis of Traumatic Grief; Co-Morbidity: Associated Psychiatric Disorders; Treatment of Traumatic Grief; Epidemiology and Prevention of Traumatic Grief; Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Cynthia Breaux, PhD (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This is an important book about the diagnosis and treatment of an extreme reaction to the loss of a significant other. Framing the proposed disorder in attachment theory, the author includes diagnostic criteria, a treatment algorithm, and methods of prevention. He also differentiates traumatic grief from normal bereavement and comorbid disorders.
Purpose: The author's goals are to increase the recognition of traumatic grief as a clinical complication of bereavement through delineated diagnostic criteria and to propose and guide the application of specific treatments and preventive interventions for the disorder.
Audience: The book is intended for professional caregivers such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, nurse clinicians, and bereavement counselors. Because it is written in a straightforward and clear style, it is also very useful for students. The author is a very credible authority on the subject, both through extensive research and years of clinical experience in the area.
Features: Chapter 1 provides a theoretical foundation for traumatic grief and Chapter 2 provides a rationale for its consideration as a psychiatric disorder. Chapters 4 through 6 include a treatment algorithm and a discussion of comorbidity. Chapter 7 covers epidemiology and prevention. The strongest aspect of this book is the thorough and cohesive treatment plan that arises directly from proposed diagnostic criteria. The justification for traumatic grief as a diagnostic entity would have been even stronger with a more complete presentation of the cultural opposition to this idea and a systematic rebuttal of each objection.
Assessment: Drawing from more than 25 years of clinical experience in the area of bereavement, the author makes a convincing case for the conceptualization of a form of pathologic grief as a psychiatric disorder. Mental health professionals will find this an extremely useful book, not only for diagnosing and treating, but for differentiating traumatic grief from normal bereavement and comorbid disorders. This book makes a substantial contribution by informing clinicians who provide care in this area and, in doing so, may ultimately serve to reduce the suffering caused by pathological grief.

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