Personality disorder as a pathogenic factor in bereavement

The impact of personality on the experience of grief is neglected in the literature, in spite of its obvious relevance. A case report in which a personality disorder complicates the clinical course of bereavement is presented. The report illustrates the notion that personality characteristics play a unique pathogenic role in the evolvement of the symptoms of pathological grief, the use of coping mechanisms, and the "atypical" features of the clinical syndrome. The nosological autonomy of this entity vis a vis DSM-III's categories of affective disorders is examined. Understanding these factors becomes crucial for the nosological and psychotherapeutic approaches to pathological grief.