Evaluation of Grief Therapy Approaches for Bereaved Parents

The purpose of this study is to compare three types of support programs for parents who have lost a child. The study will see how these support programs affect participants' grief and depression symptoms. The three support programs are called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy, Supportive Counseling, and Enhanced Usual Care.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* A biological, adoptive, step-parent or legal guardian from across the United States who lost a child diagnosed with cancer as indicated by self-report
* Age 18 or older as indicated by self-report
* Experienced the loss of a child diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months prior to enrollment as indicated by self-report
* Elevated prolonged grief (PG) symptoms (PG-13-R scores of 30 or above)
* Resides in a state in which a study clinical supervisor is licensed to permit telepsychology practice or otherwise able to comply with current telehealth regulations as indicated by self-report
* English-speaking as per the language assessment items below and willing to receive the intervention in English.
* What is the participant's preferred language?

  °(Specify Lang)___________________________
* How well does the participant speak English?

  * Very well (PARTICIPANT IS ELIGIBLE)
  * Well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not at all (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
* Individuals who are pregnant per self-report are eligible to participate.

Support Provider Inclusion Criteria:

* Must be age 18 or over as indicated by self-report
* Has been identified by the bereaved parent participant as a support or someone important to bereaved parent
* Resides in a state in which a study clinical supervisor is licensed to permit telepsychology practice or otherwise able to comply with current telehealth regulations as indicated by self-report
* English-speaking as per the language assessment items below and willing to receive the intervention in English
* What is the participant's preferred language?

  °(Specify Lang)___________________________
* How well does the participant speak English?

  * Very well (PARTICIPANT IS ELIGIBLE)
  * Well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not at all (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
* Individuals who are pregnant per self-report are eligible to participate.

Family Participant Inclusion Criteria:

* A biological, adoptive, step-parent or legal guardian from across the United States who lost a child diagnosed with cancer as indicated by self-report
* Age 18 or older as indicated by self-report
* Experienced the loss of a child diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months prior to enrollment as indicated by self-report
* Resides in a state in which a study clinical supervisor is licensed to permit telepsychology practice or otherwise able to comply with current telehealth regulations as indicated by self-report
* English-speaking as per the language assessment items below and willing to receive the intervention in English
* What is the participant's preferred language?

  °(Specify Lang)___________________________
* How well does the participant speak English?

  * Very well (PARTICIPANT IS ELIGIBLE)
  * Well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not at all (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
* Individuals who are pregnant per self-report are eligible to participate.

Training Case Inclusion Criteria:

* A biological, adoptive, step-parent, or legal guardian from across the United States as indicated by self-report
* Age 18 or older as indicated by self-report
* Experienced the loss of a child at least 6 months prior to enrollment as indicated by self-report
* Score of 29 or below on the PG-13-R OR lost a child to a cause other than cancer OR child's additional guardian has consented as a Parent Participant and has not provided permission to share participation status
* Resides in a state in which a study clinical supervisor is licensed to permit telepsychology practice or otherwise able to comply with current telehealth regulations as indicated by self-report
* English-speaking as per the language assessment items below and willing to receive the intervention in English
* What is the participant's preferred language?

  ° (Specify Lang)___________________________
* How well does the participant speak English?

  * Very well (PARTICIPANT IS ELIGIBLE)
  * Well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not at all (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
* Individuals who are pregnant per self-report are eligible to participate.

Training Case Support Provider Inclusion Criteria:

* Must be age 18 or over as indicated by self-report
* Has been identified by the bereaved parent training case participant as a support or someone important to bereaved parent
* Resides in a state in which a study clinical supervisor is licensed to permit telepsychology practice or otherwise able to comply with current telehealth regulations as indicated by self-report
* English-speaking as per the language assessment items below and willing to receive the intervention in English
* What is the participant's preferred language?

  ° (Specify Lang)___________________________
* How well does the participant speak English?

  * Very well (PARTICIPANT IS ELIGIBLE)
  * Well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not well (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
  * Not at all (PARTICIPANT is NOT ELIGIBLE)
* Individuals who are pregnant per self-report are eligible to participate.

Participant Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator/study staff's judgment, to preclude completion of the assessment measures, interview or informed consent
* Inability to access a functional device for videoconferencing and declines offer to use a study loaner device as indicated by self-report
* Prisoners
* Participants unable to consent

Support Provider Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator/study staff's judgment, to preclude informed consent
* Inability to access a computer with Internet as indicated by self-report
* Prisoners
* Participants unable to consent

Family Participant Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator/study staff's judgment, to preclude informed consent
* Inability to access a computer with Internet as indicated by self-report
* Prisoners
* Participants unable to consent

Training Case Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator/study staff's judgment, to preclude completion of the assessment measures, interview or informed consent
* Inability to access a functional device for videoconferencing and declines offer to use a study loaner device as indicated by self-report
* Prisoners
* Participants unable to consent

Training Case Support Provider Exclusion Criteria

* Significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient, in the investigator/study staff's judgment, to preclude informed consent
* Inability to access a computer with Internet as indicated by self-report
* Prisoners
* Participants unable to consent