Complicated Grief Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Interventions
The present study evaluates the effectiveness of a brief, 8-session, treatment, encompassing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desentizitation and Reprocessing (EMDR) to reduce Comp
Rando, 1996
Rynearson & Geoffery, 1999)
This treatment trial seeks to examine (1) whether the treatment decreases symptoms of CG and PTSD. It also examines(2) whether the sequence of CBT and EMDR – as two treatment interventions – exert an
Sponsors
Fonds Slachtofferhulp
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: - Participants have to be older than 18 years; - Participants have been confronted with the death of a partner or family member through homicide; - Individuals are capable of understanding the Dutch language.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: - Confrontation with losses due to other causes than homicide; - Mental retardation; - Individuals younger than 18 years; - Individuals not capable of understanding the Dutch language.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The primary outcome measures are Complicated Grief (CG) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We used the following measurements: Complicated Grief The frequency and intensity of grief reactions will be measured by the 29 item Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) (Prigerson, Maciejewski, Reynolds, Bierhals, & Newsom, 1995, Dutch version, Boelen, Van den Bout, De Keijser, & Hoijtink, 2003). The ICG will be rated on a 5 point scale that ranges from “never” to “always”. Examples of questions are “I have the feeling that part of me is died with him or her” and “I feel tense, irritable or shocked since his or her death”. Scores can range between 0 and 116. A score higher than 39 indicated the presence of complicated grief (Boelen, de Keijser & van den Bout, 2001). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms of PTSD will be measured by the Dutch version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES) (Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez., 1979; Dutch version: Brom & Kleber, 1985). The IES consists of 15 items on a four point scale that range from “not at all” to “extremely”. The items measured two dimensions of psychological reactions following shock: intrusions and avoidance. Participants complete the items based on their thoughts and feelings regarding the last seven days. Scores range between 0 and 75. A score of 26 or higher indicated post traumatic complaints. Sample items include “I felt as if it hadn’t happened or wasn’t real”, and “I tried to remove it from my memory”. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The secondary measures are General Revenge, Situational Revenge, Depressive and Anxious Avoidance, and Resilience. We will use the following measurements: General Revenge Revenge will be measured by a Dutch translation of the 20-item Vengeance Scale (VS, Stuckless & Goranson, 1992; Gerlsma, Lugtmeyer, Van Denderen, & De Keijser, 2013). The VS measures attitudes toward personal vengeful responses to perceived wrongdoing (Stuckless & Goranson, 1992). The items will be measured on a 7 point Likert scale (1 = disagree strongly to 7 = agree strongly). Sample items include “It is important for me to get back at people who have hurt me”. Situational Revenge The subscale named revenge from the Transgression Related Interpersonal Motivation TRIM (developed by McCullough et al. [1998], Dutch version by Gerlsma, Lugtmeyer, van Denderen, & de Keijser, in preperation) will be used to measure revenge feelings and cognitions. This scale taps the motivation to seek revenge, or to see harm come to the offender, following a transgression. It includes 6 items (e.g., “I wish that something bad would happen to him/her”, “I’ll make him/her pay”). Respondents score their agreement with each item on 7-point scales (1=disagree strongly, 7=agree strongly) with higher scores pointing at stronger revenge feelings and thoughts. Depressive and Anxious Avoidance in Prolonged Grief The Depressive and Anxious Avoidance in Prolonged Grief Questionnaire (DAAPGQ) is a 9-item measure examining depressive and anxious avoidance (DA and AA) behaviours (Boelen, & van den Bout, in press). Five items are constructed to tap DA (“I avoid doing activities that used to bring me pleasure, because I feel unable to carry out these activities”) and four items to tap AA (“I avoid situations and places that confront me with the fact that [--] is dead and will never return.”). Participants will rate their agreement with each item on 8-point scales ranging from “not at all true for me” to “completely true for me” | — |
Contacts
Public ContactMariette Denderen, van
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Klinische Psychologie Grote Kruisstraat 2/1
Outcome results
None listed