bereavement exclusion
in DSM–IV–TR, a statement that rules out, as symptoms of a major depressive episode, an individual’s responses to the death of a loved one (e.g., sadness) unless they last longer than 2 months after the death, markedly impair function, or are accompanied by such symptoms as suicidal ideation. DSM–5 has replaced this exclusion with a broader statement that characterizes an individual’s normal responses to various types of significant loss (e.g., bereavement, financial ruin, disability) as nonetheless meriting careful clinical consideration of the possibility that they may co-occur with a major depressive episode. See also persistent complex bereavement disorder.