As part of an effort to develop an instrument to measure grief, a 58-
item questionnaire was completed by 211 subjects who had lost a loved one
because of death. The results demonstrated wide individual variations in
specific symptoms and in their intensity and duration. Long after the
immediate grief period, most bereaved individuals continued to feel upset,
empty, or tearful; many experienced anniversary reactions and/or physical
symptoms; and some had persistent identification phenomena. Although the
acute dysphoria peaked between 1 and 2 years, several grief-related
feelings, symptoms, and behaviors continued indefinitely. The relevance of
present work and directions for future studies are discussed.Abstract Teaser