The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Complicated Grief: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors:
Wagner, Birgit
Knaevelsrud, Christine
Maercker, Andreas
Source:
Death Studies: 2006. Volume 30, pp. 429-453.
Summary
This article describes a 5-week email-based therapy program using a cognitive behavioral model to work with participants identified as experiencing complicated grief. A total of 55 participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or a wait-listed control group. The Impact of Events Scale as well as measures of depression and anxiety were used to assess outcomes. The researchers found the treatment group showed significantly more improvement than the waiting group. In addition, participants in the internet-based intervention group reported strongly favorable reactions to the online setting. The privacy and geographical independence available through the online program were identified as positive factors.
Key words: cognitive, complicated, Internet, prolonged, trauma
Service Provider Implications
This article provides information on an email-based therapy program that may be of interest to providers working with individuals with complicated grief. The components of the cognitive behavioral approach described in the article could be of interest to practitioners working in different therapeutic modalities.
