Individualized Grief Support With Swanson Model

December 30, 2025 updated by: Fatma Pehlivan, Suleyman Demirel University

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Individualized Grief Support Based on the Swanson Caring Model in Women Experiencing Pregnancy Loss

This study aims to examine the effects of individualized grief support for women experiencing pregnancy loss. The research, which will be conducted at Süleyman Demirel University, is a mixed-method design and includes both phenomenological qualitative analysis and randomized controlled quantitative trials. The sample will include 48 women; those with severe depression will be excluded. Quantitative data will be analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative data will be analyzed using content analysis.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Pregnancy loss is a traumatic experience that leaves deep marks on women's lives. The grieving process that women experience during this period varies according to individual differences. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of individualized grief support for women who have experienced pregnancy loss. By addressing the emotional and psychological challenges women face after pregnancy loss, the study seeks to explore how the most appropriate support and care can be provided.

The sample of the study will consist of women who have experienced pregnancy loss at Süleyman Demirel University Research and Training Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The power analysis of the study was conducted using the GPower 3.1.9.6 (Franz Faul, Universitaet Kiel, Germany) program, and the sample size was calculated as n=24+24=48. Women who obtain a very high score (14+) on the depression subscale of the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale will not be included in the study due to pathological findings.

This research will be conducted as a mixed-method study incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the qualitative part of the study, a phenomenological design, which is suitable for the nature of the research, will be used. The quantitative part will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial. Quantitative data are planned to be analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) 26.0 statistical analysis package. Qualitative data will be analyzed through content analysis using a software program commonly utilized for qualitative research.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

48

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 18 years and above,
  • Literate,
  • Able to understand and speak Turkish,
  • Desired and planned pregnancies
  • No diagnosed psychiatric illness,
  • No hearing or mental disabilit

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women who experienced pregnancy loss after infertility treatment
  • Women who received psychological support during the process
  • Women who scored very high on the DAS scale
  • Women who withdrew from the study at any stage
  • Women who did not complete the data collection forms will be excluded from the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: No intervention: Control Group
Women assigned to the control group will be administered the Personal Information Form and pretests (PGS, DAS-21) at the first interview. Nurses will instruct the women on the hospital's routine procedures. No intervention will be administered. A posttest (PGS, DAS-21) will be administered three months after the loss.
Experimental: intervention group
Women in the intervention group will complete a Personal Information Form and baseline measures (PGS, DAS-21) during the first hospital-based interview, where they will also receive an expert-informed grief brochure. One week after pregnancy loss, a second interview involving a semi-structured, phenomenological exploration of their grief experiences will be conducted. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th interviews-held three weeks after the second interview, in the second month, and in the third month-will focus on providing grief counseling and nursing care based on the Swanson care model. In the final interview, post-test measures (PGS, DAS-21) will be administered.
Other: Assigned Interventions
Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with women who have experienced pregnancy loss, and their experiences and grieving processes will be examined phenomenologically. In the 3rd, 4th, and 5th interviews, based on the findings obtained from the qualitative data, grief counseling based on the Swanson care model will be provided to the women, and they will be provided with nursing care and grief support.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Personal Information Form (Pre-Test)
Time Frame: At baseline (prior to intervention)

This form will be administered to women during the initial interview after they are accepted into the service.

It was developed by researchers to determine sociodemographic characteristics such as age, marital status, pregnancy history, and educational background. Women will also undergo pre-tests (PGS and DASS-21) during the initial interview.
At baseline (prior to intervention)
Sociodemographic Characteristics Form
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention)
This form assesses participants' sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, including age, marital status, educational level, and pregnancy history. The form is administered by the researcher during the initial interview after participants are accepted into the service.
Baseline (pre-intervention)
Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) Score
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention)
The Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) is a self-report instrument used to assess grief intensity following pregnancy loss. The scale consists of 33 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 33 to 165, with higher scores indicating greater levels of perinatal grief.
Baseline (pre-intervention)
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21)
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention)

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) is a self-report instrument used to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The scale consists of 21 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (did not apply to me at all) to 3 (applied to me very much or most of the time). The scale includes three subscales-Depression, Anxiety, and Stress-each comprising 7 items. Subscale scores are calculated by summing the relevant items and multiplying by two. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

Severity Classification:

DASS-21 subscale scores are categorized as follows:

Severity Level Depression Anxiety Stress Normal 0-4 0-3 0-7 Mild 5-6 4-5 8-9 Moderate 7-10 6-7 10-12 Severe 11-13 8-9 13-16 Extremely Severe ≥14 ≥10 ≥17
Baseline (pre-intervention)
Bereavement Brochure
Time Frame: Immediately post-intervention
A bereavement brochure, prepared with the contribution of experts, will be provided to women following pregnancy loss during the initial interview. The brochure contains information about emotional reactions, coping strategies, and available support resources.
Immediately post-intervention
Semi-Structured Interview
Time Frame: 1 week
One week after the initial interview, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with women who have experienced pregnancy loss. In this interview, grief experiences and needs will be examined phenomenologically.
1 week
Swanson-Based Grief Counseling (First Session)
Time Frame: 3 weeks
In the third interview, grief counseling will be provided based on findings from qualitative data. The counseling process will be structured using the Swanson Care Model.
3 weeks
Swanson-Based Bereavement Counseling (Second Session)
Time Frame: 2nd month
In the fourth interview, bereavement counseling will again be conducted based on the Swanson Model, tailored to the woman's ongoing needs and responses.
2nd month
Swanson-Based Bereavement Counseling (Third Session) + Post-Test Data Collection
Time Frame: 3rd month
During the fifth interview, bereavement counseling will continue based on the Swanson Model. At this stage, post-test data collection forms (PGS and DASS-21) will also be administered.
3rd month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Suleyman Demirel University

Investigators

  • Study Director: Emel Taşçı Duran, Phd, RN, Suleyman Demirel University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

February 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 24, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 30, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

January 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 30, 2025

Last Verified

December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SDUSuleyman

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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