ICG
Inventory of Complicated Grief
The Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) is a 19-item depression assessment for adults. It typically takes about 6 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 76 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
19
6 min
adult
0–76
About the ICG
The Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) is a 19-item depression assessment for adults. It typically takes about 6 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 76 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
First published in 1995 by Prigerson HG, Maciejewski PK, Reynolds CF, Bierhals AJ, Newsom JT, Fasiczka A, Frank E, Doman J, Miller M, the ICG is free to use for clinical and research purposes with attribution. With Psyche Assess you can send the ICG to clients online, score it automatically, and generate a clinician-ready report in seconds.
ICG questions
- 1
I think about this person so much that it’s hard for me to do the things I normally do.
- 2
Memories of the person who died upset me.
- 3
I cannot accept the death of the person who died.
- 4
I feel myself longing for the person who died.
- 5
I feel drawn to places and things associated with the person who died.
- 6
I cannot help feeling angry about his/her death.
- 7
I feel disbelief over what happened.
- 8
I feel stunned or dazed over what happened.
- 9
Ever since he/she died, it is hard for me to trust people.
- 10
Ever since he/she died, I feel like I have lost the ability to care about other people or I feel distant from people I care about.
- 11
I have pain in the same area of my body or have some of the same symptoms as the person who died.
- 12
I go out of my way to avoid reminders of the person who died.
- 13
I feel that life is empty without the person who died.
- 14
I hear the voice of the person who died speak to me.
- 15
I see the person who died stand before me.
- 16
I feel that it is unfair that I should live when this person died.
Risk item - 17
I feel bitter over this person’s death.
- 18
I feel envious of others who have not lost someone close.
- 19
I feel lonely a great deal of the time ever since he/she died.
Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.
Scoring & interpretation
| Range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–24 | Subclinical | Below the clinical complicated-grief threshold. |
| 25–76 | Complicated grief | Score ≥25 — clinically significant complicated grief; consider Complicated Grief Treatment or evaluation for Prolonged Grief Disorder. |
Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Frequently asked questions
How many items does the ICG have?
The ICG has 19 items and takes about 6 minutes to complete.
How is the ICG scored?
Item responses are summed for a total score from 0 to 76, where higher scores indicate greater severity. Totals fall into the interpretive bands shown above.
Is the ICG free to use?
The ICG is free to use for clinical and research purposes provided the authors are credited and the item wording is not altered.
Who is the ICG for?
The ICG is designed for adult and is used by clinicians, researchers, and integrated-care teams.
Source & references
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