Understanding laypersons’ perceptions of pathological grief and their support recommendations in a German sample

Background

Knowledge about mental disorders (mental health literacy, MHL) among laypeople facilitates adequate help-seeking. Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a relatively new diagnosis and little is known about MHL regarding PGD. Since grief is a normal phenomenon, it may be difficult for laypeople to recognise the presence of this mental disorder and their decision could be influenced by circumstantial factors determining the expression and intensity of grief.

We examined whether the gender of the bereaved person and the person's relationship to the deceased affected laypeople's recognition of PGD as a mental disorder and what treatment laypeople would recommend for PGD.

Methods

A German convenience sample (n = 369) was randomly presented one of four vignettes. Vignettes varied the gender of the bereaved person (male vs female) and the relationship to the deceased (child vs parent). Participants indicated whether in their view the depicted person suffered from a mental disorder and what treatment they would recommend. Additionally, participants rated their agreement with positive and negative statements about PGD.

Results

Neither gender nor the relationship to the deceased influenced laypeople's diagnostic ratings and treatment recommendations. If participants considered a mental disorder to be present, they recommended most strongly grief counselling, followed by psychotherapy and self-help groups. Attitudes towards PGD were overwhelmingly positive.

Limitations

Results need to be replicated in representative samples.

Conclusion

Laypeople mostly recognised PGD as a mental disorder and recommended seeking help. As only psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for PGD, knowledge about different treatment options must be disseminated among the public.