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Multidimensional Grief Therapy: Pilot Open Trial of a Novel Intervention for Bereaved Children and Adolescents

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Abstract

Objectives

This study describes a pilot open trial of Multidimensional Grief Therapy, an assessment-driven, phasic individual therapy for bereaved youth. This study provides a preliminary outcome evaluation with respect to maladaptive grief reactions, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and depressive symptoms in bereaved youth.

Methods

The sample consisted of 65 bereaved youth (ages 6–17 years, M = 11.62, SD = 2.76; 53% female; 33.3% Hispanic, 31.8% African American/Black, 27.3% Caucasian, 6.1% mixed/biracial, 1.5% Native American). The study utilized a single-group open trial design. Youth referred to the study due to the death of a loved one completed measures of grief reactions, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Measures were also completed following Phases I and II of the treatment.

Results

Youth who completed Phase I (n = 42) reported significant reductions from baseline, with large to very large effect sizes (Cohen’s D range = 0.77−1.35) for all three domains of maladaptive grief, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Youth who completed Phase II (n = 22) exhibited significant reductions from the end of Phase I, with medium to large effect sizes (range = 0.57–0.90) for two domains of maladaptive grief as well as for posttraumatic stress symptoms and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Although further evaluations using a wider array of outcomes are needed to evaluate MGT and the maintenance of treatment gains over time, the present study provides preliminary evidence supporting MGT as an individual treatment for bereaved youth experiencing maladaptive grief reactions, post-traumatic stress, and depressive symptoms.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SM-16008 and SM-062111), both given to J.K.

Author Contributions

R.M.H.: Completed the data analysis and prepared the initial and revised manuscript draft. B.O.: Assisted with data analysis and data preparation. C.M.L.: Collaborated with writing the manuscript. E.R.: Assisted with the writing and preparation of the manuscript. S.Y.: Assisted with execution of the study. RSP: Collaborated in editing the manuscript. J.B.K.: Designed and executed the study; collaborated in the writing and editing of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Ryan M. Hill, Evan Rooney, Stephanie Yudovich & Julie B. Kaplow

  2. Department of Psychology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA

    Benjamin Oosterhoff

  3. UCLA/Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Christopher M. Layne & Robert S. Pynoos

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Christopher M. Layne & Robert S. Pynoos

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  1. Ryan M. Hill
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Correspondence to Julie B. Kaplow.

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All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration. The Baylor College of Medicine IRB approved this study.

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Hill, R.M., Oosterhoff, B., Layne, C.M. et al. Multidimensional Grief Therapy: Pilot Open Trial of a Novel Intervention for Bereaved Children and Adolescents. J Child Fam Stud 28, 3062–3074 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01481-x

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