MM Caregiver Grief Inventory - Short Form Thomas M. Meuser, Ph.D., University of Missouri – St.

Louis
Samuel J. Marwit, Ph.D., University of Missouri-St. Louis (Emeritus)

Instructions: This inventory is designed to measure the grief experience of current family caregivers of persons living
with progressive dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). Read each statement carefully, then decide how much you agree
or disagree with what is said. Circle a number 1-5 to the right using the answer key below (For example 5 = Strongly
Agree). It is important that you respond to all items so that the scores are accurate. Scoring rules are listed below.

ANSWER KEY
1 = Strongly Disagree // 2 = Disagree // 3 = Somewhat Agree // 4 = Agree // 5 = Strongly Agree
1 I’ve had to give up a great deal to be a caregiver. 1 2 3 4 5 A
2 I feel I am losing my freedom. 1 2 3 4 5 A
3 I have nobody to communicate with. 1 2 3 4 5 C
4 I have this empty, sick feeling knowing that my loved one is “gone”. 1 2 3 4 5 B
5 I spend a lot of time worrying about the bad things to come. 1 2 3 4 5 C
Dementia is like a double loss…I’ve lost the closeness with my loved one and
6 1 2 3 4 5 C
connectedness with my family.
7 My friends simply don’t understand what I’m going through. 1 2 3 4 5 C
8 I long for what was, what we had and shared in the past. 1 2 3 4 5 B
9 I could deal with other serious disabilities better than with this. 1 2 3 4 5 B
10 I will be tied up with this for who knows how long. 1 2 3 4 5 A
11 It hurts to put her/him to bed at night and realize that she/he is “gone” 1 2 3 4 5 B
12 I feel very sad about what this disease has done. 1 2 3 4 5 B
I lay awake most nights worrying about what’s happening and how I’ll manage
13 1 2 3 4 5 C
tomorrow.
14 The people closest to me do not understand what I’m going through. 1 2 3 4 5 C
I’ve lost other people close to me, but the losses I’m experiencing now are
15 1 2 3 4 5 B
much more troubling.
Independence is what I’ve lost…I don’t have the freedom to go and do what I
16 1 2 3 4 5 A
want.
17 I wish I had an hour or two to myself each day to pursue personal interests. 1 2 3 4 5 A
18 I’m stuck in this caregiving world and there’s nothing I can do about it. 1 2 3 4 5 A

Self-Scoring Procedure: Add the numbers you circled MM-CGI-SF Personal Grief Profile
to derive the following sub-scale and total grief scores. 30 High
Use the letters to the right of each score to guide you. 25
20 Average
Personal Sacrifice Burden (A Items) = __________
(6 Items, M = 20.2, SD = 5.3, Alpha = .83, n = 292) 15
10
Heartfelt Sadness & Longing (B Items) = __________
(6 Items, M = 20.2, SD = 5.0, Alpha = .80, n = 292) 5 Low
0
Worry & Felt Isolation (C Items) = __________
(6 Items, M = 16.6, SD = 5.2, Alpha = .80, n = 292)
Personal Sacrifice Heartfelt Sadness Worry &
Burden & Longing Felt Isolation
Total Grief Level (Sum A + B + C) =__________
(18 Items, M = 57, SD = 12.9, Alpha = .90, n = 292)
What do these scores mean?
Scores in the top area are one standard deviation (SD) higher than
Plot your scores using the grid to the right. Make an “X” average based on responses of other family caregivers (n = 292). High
nearest to your numeric score for each sub-scale scores may indicate a need for formal intervention or support
heading. Connect the X’s. This is your grief profile. assistance to enhance coping. Low scores (one SD below the mean)
Discuss this with your support group leader or counselor. may indicate denial or a downplaying of distress. Low scores may also
_________________________________________________________________ indicate positive adaptation if the individual is not showing other signs of
suppressed grief or psychological disturbance. Average scores in the
Author Note: This scale may be copied and freely used for clinical or center indicate common reactions. These are general guides for
supportive purposes. Those wishing to use the scale for research are discussion and support only— more research is needed on specific
asked to e-mail for permission: [email protected] (8/09). interpretation issues.