An open trial of meaning-centered grief therapy: Rationale and preliminary evaluation Journal Article
| Authors: | Lichtenthal, W. G.; Catarozoli, C.; Masterson, M.; Slivjak, E.; Schofield, E.; Roberts, K. E.; Neimeyer, R. A.; Wiener, L.; Prigerson, H. G.; Kissane, D. W.; Li, Y.; Breitbart, W. |
| Article Title: | An open trial of meaning-centered grief therapy: Rationale and preliminary evaluation |
| Abstract: | Objective To determine the preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and effects of Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT) for parents who lost a child to cancer.Method Parents who lost a child to cancer and who were between six months and six years after loss and reporting elevated levels of prolonged grief were enrolled in open trials of MCGT, a manualized, one-on-one cognitive-behavioral-existential intervention that used psychoeducation, experiential exercises, and structured discussion to explore themes related to meaning, identity, purpose, and legacy. Parents completed 16 weekly sessions, 60-90 minutes in length, either in person or through videoconferencing. Parents were administered measures of prolonged grief disorder symptoms, meaning in life, and other assessments of psychological adjustment preintervention, mid-intervention, postintervention, and at three months postintervention. Descriptive data from both the in-person and videoconferencing open trial were pooled.Result Eight of 11 (72%) enrolled parents started the MCGT intervention, and six of eight (75%) participants completed all 16 sessions. Participants provided positive feedback about MCGT. Results showed postintervention longitudinal improvements in prolonged grief (d = 1.70), sense of meaning (d = 2.11), depression (d = 0.84), hopelessness (d = 1.01), continuing bonds with their child (d = 1.26), posttraumatic growth (ds = 0.29-1.33), positive affect (d = 0.99), and various health-related quality of life domains (d = 0.46-0.71). Most treatment gains were either maintained or increased at the three-month follow-up assessment.Significance of results Overall, preliminary data suggest that this 16-session, manualized cognitive-behavioral-existential intervention is feasible, acceptable, and associated with transdiagnostic improvements in psychological functioning among parents who have lost a child to cancer. Future research should examine MCGT with a larger sample in a randomized controlled trial. © 2019 Cambridge University Press. |
| Keywords: | adult; aged; middle aged; clinical trial; quality of life; classification; psychology; questionnaire; adaptation, psychological; depression; longitudinal studies; coping behavior; anxiety; meaning; psychotherapy; psychometrics; grief; longitudinal study; psychometry; standards; hospice care; existential; devices; procedures; prolonged grief; bereaved parents; humans; human; male; female; surveys and questionnaires |
| Journal Title: | Palliative and Supportive Care |
| Volume: | 17 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| ISSN: | 1478-9515 |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
| Date Published: | 2019-02-01 |
| Start Page: | 2 |
| End Page: | 12 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1017/s1478951518000925 |
| PUBMED: | 30683164 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC6401220 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Source: Scopus |
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