Why Should I Take a Grief Assessment?

A grief assessment helps you understand if your bereavement response is part of normal grieving or if you’re experiencing prolonged or complicated grief.

Research shows that around 13% of bereaved people develop prolonged grief disorder, which can significantly impact your daily functioning and wellbeing. This type of screening gives you clarity about whether your grief has become stuck or overwhelming. It takes just a few minutes to complete and provides immediate feedback about whether you might benefit from specialist bereavement support.

Taking a grief assessment is often the first step towards healing and finding meaning again.

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What Is a Complicated Grief Screening Test?

A complicated grief screening test is a questionnaire that examines your emotional response to loss and whether it’s preventing you from moving forward with life. The ICG (Inventory of Complicated Grief) is a widely trusted tool used by bereavement specialists and therapists. The test asks about feelings and experiences you’ve had since your loss, including:

• Intense yearning or longing for the person who died
• Difficulty accepting the death has really happened
• Feeling that life is empty or meaningless without them
• Bitterness or anger about your loss
• Trouble engaging with other people or activities you used to enjoy
• Feeling like part of yourself died with the person

The questions are sensitive and based on recognised symptoms of prolonged grief disorder. Your honest answers help identify whether your grief needs professional attention.

How Do I Know If My Grief Is Normal or Complicated?

You might feel stuck in the early stages of grief, unable to accept the death or move forward. 

Think about how long it’s been since your loss and how much it affects your ability to function, If you’re wondering whether your grief is normal. Normal grief is painful but gradually softens over time, allowing you to adapt to life without the person.

Complicated grief means intense emotions that don’t ease even months or years later. Daily activities feel impossible, you avoid reminders of the person constantly, or you feel life has no purpose without them. A grief assessment online can help you understand if what you’re experiencing needs specialist bereavement counselling.

Can I Test for Complicated Grief Online?

Yes, you can use an online grief assessment tool to evaluate whether your bereavement response has become prolonged or complicated.

The ICG test available online uses the same questions that bereavement counsellors and psychologists use in their consultations. These tools are completely confidential and provide instant results showing whether your grief is within normal limits or whether you’re experiencing symptoms of complicated grief.

They’re designed to help you recognise when normal grieving has become stuck and you need additional support. Nobody sees your answers unless you choose to share them with a healthcare professional or counsellor.

Is an Online Grief Assessment as Good as Seeing a Bereavement Counsellor?

No, an online grief assessment is a helpful first step but cannot replace professional bereavement support or therapy.

These screening tools can accurately indicate if you’re experiencing significant complicated grief symptoms that need treatment. They help you decide whether to contact your GP, a bereavement service, or a specialist grief therapist.

If your results show complicated grief, it’s important to seek professional help as this condition responds well to targeted grief therapy. The online assessment helps you understand the problem, while a trained bereavement counsellor provides the support and treatment you need to process your loss.

What Happens After I Complete the Grief Screening Test?

After you complete the grief screening test, you’ll receive immediate results explaining your grief response and what your score means.

The feedback will indicate whether your grief is within normal limits or whether you’re showing signs of complicated or prolonged grief disorder. You’ll receive practical guidance based on your results, which might include self-care strategies for normal grief, information about bereavement support groups, or strong recommendations to contact specialist grief services.

Your results are completely private and you can retake the assessment at different stages of your bereavement to monitor how your grief changes over time.