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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01384942

Meaning-based Group Counselling for Bereavement

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Grief Bereavement Death Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

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

Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1E2, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 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.

Exclusion criteria

  • 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.

Treatment and study plan

Meaning-Based Bereavement Group

Behavioral

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

Conventional Bereavement Group

Behavioral

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

Primary outcomes

  1. Grief

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    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

  2. Meaning

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    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

  3. Depression

    Time frame: 24 Weeks

    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

  4. Anxiety

    Time frame: 24 Weeks

    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

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Jewish General Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • McGill University

Registry information

Official study title

The Development and Pilot Testing of Meaning-based Group Counselling Intervention for Bereavement

Important dates

Study start
2010
Primary completion
2012
Study completion
2013
First posted
Jun 29, 2011
Registry last updated
Nov 8, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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