Brief Description
The Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the emotional and psychological impact of perinatal loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. The PGS asks respondents to reflect on their current thoughts and emotions related to their loss and rate the extent to which they agree with a series of statements (e.g., “I feel empty inside,” “I have trouble concentrating”). This tool helps clinicians evaluate the intensity and nature of an individual’s grief and identify those who may benefit from additional support.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
33
Age Range for Administration
Primarily designed for adults who have experienced perinatal loss. Research does not specify a strict age range, but it is generally used with individuals age 18 and older.
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No recommended standard frequency; Blueprint recommends administration during initial assessment and follow-up sessions as clinically indicated (e.g., monthly or quarterly), especially when monitoring grief over time.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” All items are reverse-scored aside from items 11 and 33. The 33 items are divided into three subscales, outlined in the following table. Each subscale has a score range from 11 to 55, and the total score ranges from 33 to 165. Higher scores reflect more intense grief reactions. These thresholds can help identify individuals experiencing intense or prolonged grief who may benefit from further assessment or intervention.
Subscale | Item Number |
Active Grief | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 19, 27 |
Difficulty Coping | 2, 4, 8, 11, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 33 |
Despair | 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 29, 31, 32 |
Cut-off scores indicating clinically significant grief:
Subscale | Cut-off Score |
Active Grief | ≥ 34 |
Difficulty Coping | ≥ 30 |
Despair | ≥ 27 |
Total Score | ≥ 91* |
*Scores of 91 or greater reflect a high degree of grief based on the samples examined by Lasker & Toedter, 2000.
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint provides subscale scores for the PGS.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 10–15 minutes
Best administered in a private, supportive setting due to the sensitive nature of the topic
While the PGS is a valuable tool for assessing grief intensity, it should be used in conjunction with clinical interviews and other assessments to develop a comprehensive understanding of an individual's bereavement experience.
Be mindful of respondent distress—consider integrating follow-up or support resources.
In samples reviewed, 95% of the time respondents receive a score total between 78 and 91 (Lasker & Toedter, 2000); this reference point can be helpful to explore clients’ experiences of grief.
Citation
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