Scientific studies demonstrating either the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions for uncomplicated bereavement are lacking. This study reports the results of a novel meaning-based group counseling (MBGC) intervention developed for bereaved adults. MBGC was built on previous scholarly critiques using a formative evaluation methodology within a group of bereaved adults (n = 11). The primary research questions were as follows: (a) How do bereft individuals respond to MBGC? and (b) What refinements are needed to MBGC to ensure feasibility? A secondary research question was: (c) Is collection of quantitative outcome measures at baseline and postintervention feasible? Analysis of multiple qualitative data sources resulted in numerous refinements to MBGC. Results indicate that the majority of participants found the meaning-based intervention beneficial. Limitations included concurrent external therapies and a small sample size that was largely homogenous. There were no major counterindications to proceeding with a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT).
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
2.
American Psychological Association. (Producer) (2008) Constructivist therapy over time. On Series VIII: Psychotherapy in six sessions, [Motion picture]. Washington, DC: Author.
3.
ArnoldD. M.BurnsK. E. A.AdhikariN. K.KhoM. E.MeadeM. O.CookD. J. (2009) The design and interpretation of pilot trials in clinical research in critical care. Critical Care Medicine37(1): S69–S74.
4.
AttigT. (2010) How we grieve: Relearning the world, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
5.
Breitbart W., & Poppito, S. (2010). Meaning-centered psychotherapy interventions in advanced cancer. Psychosocial academy pre-conference workshop presented at the 12th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, Quebec City, Canada.
6.
BreitbartW.RosenfeldB.GibsonC.PessinH.PoppitoS.NelsonC.OldenM. (2010) Meaning-centered group psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Psycho-Oncology19(1): 21–28.
CrumbaughJ. C.MaholickL. T. (1981) Manual of instructions for the purpose in life test, Saratoga, CA: Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy.
9.
CurrierJ. M.NeimeyerR. A.BermanJ. S. (2008) The effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for bereaved persons: A comprehensive quantitative review. Psychological Bulletin34(5): 648–661.
10.
FeredayJ.Muir-CochraneE. (2006) Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods5(1): 1–11.
11.
ForteA. L.HillM.PazderD.FeudtnerC. (2004) Bereavement care interventions: A systematic review. BMC Palliative Care26(3): 1–14.
12.
FranklV. E. (1981) Will to meaning: Foundations and applications of logotherapy, New York, NY: Meridian.
13.
GenevroJ. L.MarshallT.MillerT. (2004) Report on bereavement and grief research. Death Studies28(6): 491–575.
14.
GeronY.GinzburgK.SolomonZ. (2003) Predictors of bereaved parents' satisfaction with group support: An Israeli perspective. Death Studies27: 405–426.
15.
Gillies, J. M., Neimeyer, R. A., & Milman, E. (2014). The Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory (GMRI): Initial validation of a new measure. Death Studies, 39(2), 61–74.
16.
HillC. E.ZackJ. S.WonnellT. L.HoffmanM. A.RochlenA. B.GoldbergJ. L.HessS. (2000) Structured brief therapy with a focus on dreams or loss for clients with troubling dreams and recent loss. Journal of Counseling Psychology47(1): 90–101.
17.
HoganN. S.GreenfieldD.SchmidtL. (2001) Development and validation of the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist. Death Studies25: 1–32.
18.
HollandJ. M.CurrierJ. M.ColemanR. A.NeimeyerR. A. (2010) The Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES): Development and initial validation of a new measure. International Journal of Stress Management17(4): 325–352.
19.
Janoff-BulmanR. (1992) Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma, New York, NY: The Free Press.
20.
JohnsenI.DyregrovA.DyregrovK. (2012) Participants with prolonged grief—How do they benefit from grief group participation?Omega(Westport)65(2): 87–105.
21.
Keefler, J. (2005). Recording psychosocial assessments in social work: Problems and solutions (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. (NR25184).
22.
LarsonD.HoytW. (2007) What has become of grief counseling? An evaluation of the empirical foundations of the new pessimism. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice38(4): 347–355.
23.
LeeV.CohenS. R.EdgarL.LaiznerA. M.GagnonA. J. (2006) Meaning-making intervention during breast or colorectal cancer treatment improves self-esteem, optimism, and self-efficacy. Social Science & Medicine62: 3133–3145.
24.
LevE.MunroB. H.McCorkleR. (1993) A shortened version of an instrument measuring bereavement. International Journal of Nursing Studies30(3): 213–226.
25.
LichtenthalW. G. (2011) Using mixed methods data to adapt meaning-centered psychotherapy for bereaved parents and breast cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology20(Suppl. 2): 15.
26.
LundD.CasertaM.UtzR.de VriesB. (2010) Experiences and early coping of bereaved spouses/partners in an intervention based on the dual process model (DPM). Omega61(4): 291–313.
27.
MacKinnonC. J.MilmanE.SmithN. G.HenryM.BerishM.CopelandL.CohenS. R. (2013) Means to meaning in cancer-related bereavement: Identifying clinical implications for counseling psychologists. The Counseling Psychologist41(2): 216–239.
28.
MacKinnonC. J.SmithN. G.HenryM.BerishM.MilmanE.CopelandL. (2012) Techniques for addressing therapeutic ruptures in bereavement support groups. In: NeimeyerR. A. (ed.) Techniques in grief therapy: Creative strategies for counselling the bereaved, New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 318–322.
29.
MacKinnonC. J.SmithN. G.HenryM.MilmanE.BerishM.KörnerA.CohenS. R. (2013) Meaning-based group counseling for bereavement: Bridging theory with emerging trends in intervention research. Death Studies38(3): 137–144.
30.
MacKinnon, C. J., Smith, N. G., Henry, M., Milman, E., Chochinov, H. M., Körner, A., …Cohen, S. R. (2015). Reconstructing meaning with others in loss: A feasibility pilot randomized controlled trial of a bereavement group. Death Studies. 39(7), 411–421.
31.
MaruyamaN. C.AtencioC. V. (2008) Evaluating a bereavement support group. Palliative & Supportive Care6(1): 43–49.
32.
Neimeyer, R. A. (2010). Grief therapy and meaning-reconstruction. Accredited continuing education workshop presented at the annual meeting of the APA, San Diego, CA.
33.
NeimeyerR. A. (2012a) Correspondence with the deceased. In: NeimeyerR. A. (ed.) Techniques of grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved, New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 259–261.
34.
NeimeyerR. A. (2012b) The life imprint. In: NeimeyerR. A. (ed.) Techniques of grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved, New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 274–276.
35.
NeimeyerR. A.CurrierJ. M. (2009) Grief therapy: Evidence of efficacy and emerging directions. Current Directions in Psychological Science18: 352–356.
36.
NeimeyerR. A.SandsD. C. (2011) Meaning reconstruction in bereavement: From principles to practice. In: NeimeyerR. A.HarrisD. L.WinokuerH. R.ThorntonG. F. (eds) Grief and bereavement in contemporary society: Bridging research and practice, New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 9–22.
37.
ParkC. L. (2010) Making sense of the meaning literature: An integrative review of meaning making and its effects on adjustment to stressful life events. Psychological Bulletin136(2): 257–301.
38.
PiperW. E.OgrodniczukJ. S.JoyceA. S.WeidemanR. (2011) Short-term group therapies for complicated grief, Washington, DC: APA Press.
39.
PrigersonH. G.HorowitzM. J.JacobsS. C.ParkesC. M.AslanM.GoodkinK.MaciejewskiP. K. (2009) Prolonged grief disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11. Public Library of Science Medicine6(8): 1–12.
40.
PrigersonH. G.MaciejewskiP. K. (2008) Prolonged Grief Disorder (PG-13) scale, Boston, MA: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
41.
RadloffL. S. (1977) The CES-D Scale: A self report depression scale for research in the general population. Psychological Measurement1: 385–401.
42.
RounsavilleB. J.CarrollK. M.OnkenL. S. (2001) A stage model of behavioural therapies research: Getting started and moving on from stage 1. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice8(2): 133–142.
43.
SandersC. M.MaugerP. A.StrongP. N. (1985) A manual for the Grief Experience Inventory, Blowing Rock, NC: Center for the Study of Separation and Loss.
44.
SchutH.StroebeM. S. (2005) Interventions to enhance adaptation to bereavement. Journal of Palliative Medicine8(Suppl. 1): S140–S147.
45.
ShearM. K.SimonN.WallM.ZisookS.NeimeyerR. A.DuanN.KeshaviahA. (2011) Complicated grief and related bereavement issues for DSM-5. Depression and Anxiety28(2): 103–117.
46.
SikkemaK. J.HansenN. B.GhebremichaelM.KochmanA.TarakeshwarN.MeadeC. S.ZhangH. (2006) A randomized controlled trial of a coping group intervention for adults with HIV who are AIDS bereaved: Longitudinal effects on grief. Health Psychology25(5): 563–570.
47.
SpielbergerC. D.GorsuchR. L.LusheneR.VaggP. R.JacobsG. A. (1983) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for adults: Sampler set, manual, instrument, and scoring guide, Menlo Park, CA: Mind Garden.
48.
StroebeM. S.HanssonR. O.SchutH.StroebeW. (2008) Bereavement research: Contemporary perspectives. In: StroebeM. S.HanssonR. O.SchutH.StroebeW. (eds) Handbook of bereavement research and practice: Advances in theory and intervention, Washington, DC: APA Press, pp. 3–25.
49.
StroebeM. S.SchutH. (1999) The dual process model of coping with bereavement: Rationale and description. Death Studies23: 197–224.
50.
StroebeM. S.SchutH. (2001) Meaning making in the dual process model of coping with bereavement. In: NeimeyerR. A. (ed.) Meaning reconstruction and the experience of loss, Washington, DC: APA Press, pp. 55–76.
UpdegraffJ. A.SilverR. C.HolmanE. A. (2008) Searching for and finding meaning in collective trauma: Results from a national longitudinal study of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology95: 709–722.
53.
van MeijelB.GamelC.van Swieten-DuijfjesB.GrypdonckM. H. F. (2004) The development of evidence-based nursing interventions: Methodological considerations. Journal of Advanced Nursing48(1): 84–92.
54.
YalomI. D.LeszczM. (2005) The theory and practice of group psychotherapy, 5th ed. New York, NY: Basic Books.
