Group psychotherapy for parent bereaved children and teenagers – a pilot study

Abstract

Losing a parent in childhood or during youth can have large consequences and 10% of all bereaved children and teenagers develop complicated grief. This pilot study presents results from a pre- and posttest design that captures changes in grief and well-being of Danish children and teenagers after participation in a intervention for grief. In total twenty-one children and teenagers aged 6-15 years participated in a ten-week group therapy intervention. Teenagers and parents of the children answered electronic questionnaires which measured grief and well-being before and after the group intervention. Statistical significant declines in grief symptoms and statistical significant improvements in some areas of general well-being were observed. The results indicate that parentally bereaved children and teenagers show reduced grief symptoms and improvement in well-being after group therapy. The results are compared to those of existing studies, grief theories, methodological limitations and clinical implications.