Meaning-based Group Counselling for Bereavement

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

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.