Meaning-based Group Counselling for Bereavement

NCT01384942 | Completed Phase 2

• 1 other identifier: 002645
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 26
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Given that individuals in bereavement tend to experience substantial psychological distress in the first two years following loss, individuals seeking psychological support will need appropriate services grounded in sound empirical scholarship. There is a lack of studies assessing bereavement groups, despite groups being one of the most common forms by which such services are offered. The prominent and emerging process of meaning-reconstruction in bereavement research is theorized to lead to better psychological adjustment and prevent more prolonged grief reactions. The principal objective of this study is to compare two types of group counseling for individuals in bereavement: A novel meaning-based bereavement counseling group and a conventional bereavement support group.

Conditions

Grief; Bereavement

Keywords

Bereavement; Grief; Mourning; Loss; Death; Meaning; Group; Counseling; Psychotherapy; Uncomplicated; Support

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Grief

  Descriptive statistical analysis (e.g., means, standard deviations, percentage of scale range improvements) will be conducted on the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up scores for both the experimental and control group on the following outcome measures (1) Grief: Revised Grief Experience Inventory; Core Bereavement; Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist

  24 weeks

• Meaning

  Descriptive statistical analysis (e.g., means, standard deviations, percentage of scale range improvements) will be conducted on the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up scores for both the experimental and control group on the following outcome measures (1) Meaning: Purpose in Life Test; The Grief and Meaning-Reconstruction Inventory; The Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale

  24 weeks

• Depression

  Descriptive statistical analysis (e.g., means, standard deviations, percentage of scale range improvements) will be conducted on the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up scores for both the experimental and control group on the following outcome measures (1) Depression: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

  24 Weeks

• Anxiety

  Descriptive statistical analysis (e.g., means, standard deviations, percentage of scale range improvements) will be conducted on the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up scores for both the experimental and control group on the following outcome measures (1)Anxiety: State-Trait Anxiety Scale

  24 Weeks

Study Arms (2)

Meaning-Based Bereavement Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Meaning-Based Bereavement Group

Conventional Bereavement Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Behavioral: Conventional Bereavement Group

Interventions

Meaning-Based Bereavement Group BEHAVIORAL

A 12 week bereavement counselling group with tasks and themes that focus on re-constructing meaning following death.

Meaning-Based Bereavement Group

Conventional Bereavement Group BEHAVIORAL

An 8 week traditional bereavement group that follows a more conventional approach to grief support.

Conventional Bereavement Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Individuals presenting for bereavement services that have experienced a death-related loss within 6 weeks to 2 years of the first meeting of the group, and are experiencing an uncomplicated grief response will be invited to participate.
• Individuals will be assessed for their ability to participate in a group counselling context as well as an uncomplicated grief trajectory. Participants must be 18 years of age or older, have sufficient ability to communicate in English, as well as read English.

You may not qualify if:

• Following a clinical/diagnostic interview and administration of the PG-13 (Prolonged Grief Disorder-13, Prigerson et al., 2009), individuals experiencing a complicated/prolonged grief trajectory are excluded.
• Furthermore, individuals whose cognitive condition might make the study burdensome or impossible for them are excluded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Jewish General Hospital: lead
• McGill University: collaborator
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

S.M.B.D. Jewish General Hospital / Hope and Cope Program

Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1E2, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Death

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Psychologist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2011
• First Posted: June 29, 2011
• Study Start: June 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2012
• Study Completion: October 1, 2013
• Last Updated: November 8, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-08

Locations

CA (1)