Emotion-Focused Therapy in the Treatment of Prolonged Grief Disorder

NCT07207512 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: UPComillas-EFT-PGD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 128
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) works to reduce symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) in adults. PGD happens when the pain of losing a loved one lasts a long time and causes serious problems in daily life.

• All participants will complete questionnaires on grief, mood, and well-being before starting, during the study, at the end of treatment (12 weeks), and again at 5 months and 12 months after starting.
• In the EFT group, the therapeutic relationship will also be measured during sessions 3 and 8.
• Why this study is important: Most current treatments for grief are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, but not everyone benefits from them. EFT is a promising therapy that focuses on emotions and has shown positive results for other mental health problems. This trial will test if EFT can be an effective treatment for people struggling with prolonged grief.

Conditions

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD)

Keywords

grief; bereavement; prolonged grief disorder; grief with complications; Emotion-Focused Therapy; PGD; Randomized Controlled Trial; RCT; study protocol; Treatment Effectiveness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Prolonged Grief Scale 13 - Revised

  Higher scores indicate greater symptomatology of Prolonged Grief Disorder; a score of 30 or higher meets the clinical threshold for Prolonged Grief Disorder.

  From enrollment to the end of the research at 1 year follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Centrality of Event Scale

  From enrollment to the end of the reserch at 1 year follow-up

• Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-10

  From enrollment to the end of the reserch at 1 year follow-up

• Patients Health Questionnarie 9

  From enrollment to the end of the reserch at 1 year follow-up

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale

  From enrollment to the end of the reserch at 1 year follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Emotion-Focused Therapy for Grief

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Emotion-Focused Therapy for Grief

self-help intervention based on Emotion-Focused Therapy

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Behavioral: Self-help intervention based on EFT

Interventions

Emotion-Focused Therapy for Grief BEHAVIORAL

The EFT intervention will follow the model described in EFT for grief. Its main goal is to transform core emotional pain (e.g., chronic shame) by activating change-inducing emotions (e.g., assertive anger), a process described as "changing emotion with emotion." This work takes place within a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship, characterized by the therapist's empathic, accepting, and compassionate stance. Therapists remain attuned to emotional markers (e.g., self-criticism, unfinished business) that signal opportunities for targeted work on specific affective problems, which are usually addressed through experiential tasks such as the Empty-Chair for Unfinished Business. Although EFT is transdiagnostic, grief work has certain distinctive features, such as the central role of experiencing grief-related sadness and fostering a sense of connection with the deceased.

Emotion-Focused Therapy for Grief

Self-help intervention based on EFT BEHAVIORAL

The self-help intervention consists of 10 written exercises designed to address different aspects of grief. These include psychoeducation, emotional regulation, focusing on bodily awareness, softening self-criticism, reducing avoidance, managing anxiety and fear, clarifying confusing emotional reactions, processing trauma, imaginal dialogues with the deceased, and cultivating compassion.

self-help intervention based on Emotion-Focused Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults (≥18 years).
• Undergoing a grief process (including perinatal grief).
• Meeting diagnostic criteria for Prolonged Grief Disorder (bereavement occurring six months or more prior to the loss; PG-13-R score ≥30).
• Provision of informed consent.
• Stable psychopharmacological medication for at least six weeks prior to therapy onset, with physician approval to maintain stability during the intervention.

You may not qualify if:

• Concurrent psychological treatment
• Bereavement occurring less than six months prior to the loss
• Substance abuse
• Eating disorder
• Psychosis;
• Organic brain syndrome
• Suicide risk
• Risk of harm to others.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Pontificia Comillas: lead

Study Sites (1)

Unidad Clínica de Psicología de la Universidad Pontificia Comillas (UNINPSI)

Madrid, Madrid, 28036, Spain

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Prolonged Grief Disorder

Interventions

Emotion-Focused Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• José Gamoneda, PhD

  Universidad Pontificia Comillas

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

José Gamoneda, PhD

CONTACT

+34636894995; jgamoneda@comillas.edu

Rafael Jódar, PhD

CONTACT

91 734 39 50; rafajodar@comillas.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 26, 2025
• First Posted: October 6, 2025
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: December 4, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

ES (1)