Abstract
In this randomized, controlled study, we compared the effects on grief symptoms of two approaches to grief counseling: Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) and traditional talk therapy (TTT). Participants were forty-one bereaved adult volunteers: predominantly female, older, and white. Participants completed a pre-test and 90-minute counseling session, then one week later, a 90-minute session with the same counselor and modality and a post-test. On the six Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist subscales, IADC clients improved significantly more overall with a large effect. Follow-up Analyses of Covariance (ANCOVAs and ANCOVA) of the continuing presence subscale of the Ongoing Attachment Inventory revealed IADC clients improved significantly more on one and nonsignificantly on six subscales, with two medium, four small, and one no effect. IADC clients also improved more in cases of prolonged grief disorder. Results suggest that IADC may be an effective treatment for both complicated and uncomplicated grief. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2020 Special Focus—Advancing Health and Equity: Best Practices in an International Perspective
KEYWORDS
Grief Counseling, Induced After-Death Communication, After-Death Communication, Prolonged Grief Disorder
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