Background: Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is now included in Section II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, Text Revision (DSM- 5-TR). To understand the health burden and then allocate economic and professional resources, it is necessary to provide epidemiological data for this new disorder. This is especially relevant since the new diagnostic criteria differ from its predecessors, which may affect the generalizability of previous findings. More information on the characteristics of people suffering from PGD is also beneficial to better identify individuals at risk. This study, therefore, aimed to estimate the prevalence of the new PGD criteria in a representative population-based sample, evaluate the factor structure, sociodemographic, and loss-related correlates of PGD caseness and explore possible predictors. Methods: Out of a representative sample of the German general population (N = 2,531), n = 1,371 (54.2%) reported to have experienced a significant loss throughout lifetime. Participants provided sociodemographic data and loss-related characteristics. PGD symptoms were measured using items from the German versions of the Prolonged Grief Scale (PG-13) and the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), which could be matched to the DSM-5-TR criteria for PGD. Results: The conditional prevalence of PGD was 3.4% (n = 47). The most frequently reported symptoms were intense emotional pain and intense yearning or longing for the deceased. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a unidimensional model of PGD. Regression analysis demonstrated that time since the death, the relationship to the deceased, and unpreparedness for the death were significant predictors of PGD. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of 3.4% using the new diagnostic criteria is lower than the prevalence previously suggested by a meta-analysis, PGD remains a substantial disorder in the general population. In particular, the loss of a partner or child increases the risk for PGD, as does unpreparedness for the death of a loved one. Clinicians should pay particular attention to these high-risk groups. Further clinical implications are discussed.

Mémoire de maîtrise présenté en vue de l’obtention de la maîtrise en psychoéducation, option recherche et stage (M. Sc.) / La littérature montre que les personnes autistes sont plus à risque de vivre des événements potentiellement traumatiques. Toutefois, les études sur le trauma chez les personnes autistes portent majoritairement sur des aspects cliniques, tels que la symptomatologie et les outils d’évaluation. On en connait peu sur les sources de traumas auxquelles elles sont confrontées, les mettant ainsi à risque d’y être exposées à répétition. Nous en savons encore moins sur la perception des personnes autistes elles-mêmes sur ce qu’elles considèrent comme traumatique. Certains événements pouvant être considérés traumatiques ne font pas partie des sources reconnues par le DSM-5-TR pour l’obtention du diagnostic de trouble de stress post-traumatique (TSPT). Ces événements sont nommés « low magnitude » et réfèrent à des événements de moindre sévérité, tels une rupture ou de la victimisation. Une récente étude qualitative s’est intéressée à la perception de personnes autistes sur les événements considérés traumatiques à l’enfance (Kerns et al. 2022). Les entrevues de cette étude ont fait émerger 16 sources, dont les expériences sensorielles et les transitions. Dans la même optique, la présente étude vise (1) à explorer les sources de traumas exprimées par des personnes s’identifiant comme étant autistes; (2) à déterminer la proportion des catégories soulevées entrant dans la définition du DSM-5-TR pour le TSPT ; puis (3) à déterminer dans quelle proportion la catégorisation des sources traumatiques de Kerns et al. (2022) est reproduite dans la présente étude. Les données du mémoire proviennent de deux forums permettant aux personnes autistes et leur famille de converser sur divers sujets. Une analyse thématique à l’aide du logiciel QDA Miner a permis l’émergence des sources de traumas, puis un codage manuel a permis le calcul de la proportion des sources définies par le DSM-5-TR et la proportion des sources reproduites par Kerns et al. (2022). Les messages extraits ont été composés par des personnes s’identifiant autistes et abordant le trauma. Les résultats suggèrent la présence de 64 sources traumatiques, soit 18 définies par le DSM-5-TR et 46 non définies par le DSM-5-TR pour le diagnostic de TSPT. Les sources recensées sont donc, pour 71,9% d’entre elles, absentes de la définition d’une situation traumatique par le DSM-5-TR. L’ensemble des sources rapportées sont présentes dans la catégorisation de Kerns et al. (2022) et huit s’y ajoutent. Cette étude vise à mettre l’accent sur le point de vue des personnes autistes concernant les éléments traumatiques qu’elles peuvent vivre, dans le but de faciliter la prévention et l’intervention. / Research shows that people with autism are at a greater risk of experiencing potentially traumatic events. Studies on trauma in autistic people focus mainly on clinical aspects, such as symptomatology and assessment tools. However, little is known about the sources of the trauma they face, putting them at risk of repeated exposure. Even less is known about autistic people's perceptions of what they consider traumatic. Some events that may be considered traumatic are not among the sources recognized by the DSM-5-TR for the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These events are termed “low magnitude” and refer to events of lesser severity, such as a break-up or victimization. A recent qualitative study focused on how people with autism perceive events considered traumatic in childhood (Kerns et al. 2022). Interviews in this study revealed 16 sources, including sensory experiences and transitions. Similarly, the present study aims to: (1) explore the sources of trauma expressed by people identifying themselves as autistic; (2) determine the proportion of categories raised falling within the DSM-5-TR’s definition of PTSD; and (3) determine the proportion of Kerns et al.'s (2022) categorization of traumatic sources replicated in the present study. The data in this report originates from two forums, where autistic people and their families can discuss a variety of subjects. A thematic analysis using QDA Miner software enabled the emergence of trauma sources, followed by manual coding to calculate the proportion of sources defined by the DSM-5-TR and the proportion of sources reproduced by Kerns et al. (2022). The extracted messages were composed by people identifying themselves as autistic and addressing trauma. The results suggest the presence of 64 traumatic sources, 18 defined by the DSM-5-TR and 46 not defined by the DSM-5-TR for the diagnosis of PTSD. Thus, 71.9% of the sources identified were not included in the DSM-5-TR’s definition of a traumatic situation. All but eight of the sources reported in the current study are present in the categorization of Kerns et al. (2022). The aim of this study is to focus autistic people’s point of view regarding traumatic experiences they may encounter, with an aim to facilitate prevention and intervention.