The death of a loved one may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although it is conceivable that unnatural losses (caused by e.g., accidents, homicide, or suicide) render people more vulnerable to PTSD than natural losses (e.g., caused by illnesses) this is an understudied issue. The current study sought to enhance knowledge about the presentation and prevalence of PTSD symptoms, in people confronted with natural, non-sudden and unnatural, sudden losses.

This article provides an introduction and overview of the current special section devoted to developmental perspectives on trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress reactions. Although there have been many revisions to the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis in the four decades that have ensued since its inclusion in our diagnostic systems, and many decades of empirical and clinical work investigating the differential effects of traumatic stress on children and adolescents, a truly developmental perspective is still lacking in the diagnosis.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the grief experiences of people affected by COVID-19. The study adopted a qualitative design of descriptive phenomenology. Fifteen adults who had lost a family member during the COVID-19 pandemic were selected as the sample through the purposive sampling method until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and the Colaizzi analysis method.

The articles included in this Research Topic provide essential insights in clinical, cultural, and epidemiological aspects of grief disorders. Clinical aspects include diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of grief disorders. Cultural aspects involve the provision of care within specific cultural contexts, while dealing with multiculturalism and globalization. Epidemiological aspects encompass both clinical and cultural aspects and include risk for the development or maintenance of disordered grief as well as factors that contribute to resilience and recovery.