A randomized controlled trial of an internet-based therapist-assisted indicated preventive intervention for prolonged grief disorder

Abstract

This trial assessed the feasibility, acceptability, tolerability, and efficacy of an Internet-based therapist-assisted cognitive-behavioral indicated prevention intervention for prolonged grief disorder (PGD) called Healthy Experiences After Loss (HEAL). Eighty-four bereaved individuals at risk for PGD were randomized to either an immediate treatment group (n = 41) or a waitlist control group (n = 43). Assessments were conducted at four time-points: prior to the wait-interval (for the waitlist group), pre-intervention, post-intervention, 6 weeks later, and 3 months later (for the immediate group only). Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that HEAL was associated with large reductions in prolonged grief (d = 1.10), depression (d = .71), anxiety (d = .51), and posttraumatic stress (d = .91). Also, significantly fewer participants in the immediate group met PGD criteria post-intervention than in the waitlist group. Pooled data from both groups also yielded significant reductions and large effect sizes in PGD symptom severity at each follow-up assessment. The intervention required minimal professional oversight and ratings of satisfaction with treatment and usability of the Internet interface were high. HEAL has the potential to be an effective, well-tolerated tool to reduce the burden of significant pre-clinical PGD. Further research is needed to refine HEAL and to assess its efficacy and mechanisms of action in a large-scale trial.

Keywords: Cognitive behavior therapy; Internet-based intervention; Prevention; Prolonged grief.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Figures

Figure 1

CONSORT flowchart of participants through screening, enrollment, randomization, intervention, and assessments.

Figure 2

Change in prolonged grief symptom severity attributable to treatment. PG-13=Prolonged Grief Inventory.