Home
Search
Study Topics
Glossary
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sponsored by: |
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) |
---|---|
Information provided by: | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00598884 |
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an Internet-based self-help program in treating people who are at risk for developing prolonged grief disorder following a recent loss.
Condition | Intervention | Phase |
---|---|---|
Grief Mental Health |
Behavioral: Internet-Based Self-Management for Prolonged Grief Symptoms |
Phase I |
Study Type: | Interventional |
Study Design: | Prevention, Randomized, Open Label, Parallel Assignment |
Official Title: | Internet-Based Self-Management Intervention for Prolonged Grief |
Estimated Enrollment: | 185 |
Study Start Date: | August 2008 |
Estimated Study Completion Date: | December 2010 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date: | November 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
Arms | Assigned Interventions |
---|---|
6-week delay start: Experimental
This group begins treatment 6 weeks after recruitment and baseline.
|
Behavioral: Internet-Based Self-Management for Prolonged Grief Symptoms
The treatment consists of empirically derived cognitive behavioral therapy strategies to promote stable and active routines, self-care, accommodation of loss, enhanced self-efficacy, re-engagement in pleasurable activities, and reattachment with significant others. Treatment sessions will be Internet-based and will occur three times per week for 6 weeks.
|
12-week delay start: Experimental
This group begins treatment 12 weeks after recruitment and baseline.
|
Behavioral: Internet-Based Self-Management for Prolonged Grief Symptoms
The treatment consists of empirically derived cognitive behavioral therapy strategies to promote stable and active routines, self-care, accommodation of loss, enhanced self-efficacy, re-engagement in pleasurable activities, and reattachment with significant others. Treatment sessions will be Internet-based and will occur three times per week for 6 weeks.
|
No delay start: Experimental
This group begins treatment immediately after recruitment and baseline.
|
Behavioral: Internet-Based Self-Management for Prolonged Grief Symptoms
The treatment consists of empirically derived cognitive behavioral therapy strategies to promote stable and active routines, self-care, accommodation of loss, enhanced self-efficacy, re-engagement in pleasurable activities, and reattachment with significant others. Treatment sessions will be Internet-based and will occur three times per week for 6 weeks.
|
Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a severe psychiatric condition that occurs in about 10% of people who experience a recent loss. PGD does not just go away with time and is associated with considerable functional impairment, physical and mental health problems, lost productivity, lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, suicide, and depression. Because the majority of people with PGD are elderly and less capable of pursuing outside care, making readily available treatments for PGD is very important. Current treatments for PGD include psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, but there is very little solid research on the effectiveness of these treatments. Previous studies have shown that Internet-based mental health treatments are an effective and cost-efficient way to provide self-help to people who otherwise would not seek care. Using strategies from the psychotherapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this study will evaluate the effectiveness of an Internet-based self-help program in treating people who are at risk for developing prolonged grief disorder following a recent loss.
Participation in this study will last 6 weeks. Participants will be asked to log-on to the study's self-help Web site three times per week for the 6 weeks of treatment. During these 30-minute Internet sessions, participants will read or listen to information about grief and coping with grief and will complete computer exercises that involve identifying self-care needs, support systems, and short-term goals. Participants will also be asked to perform off-line activities that are designed to increase self-care and social activities and that may take anywhere from a few minutes to 30 minutes per day. Participants will be randomly assigned to begin the treatment program 12, 18, or 24 weeks after their loss. For all participants, there will be four assessments, occurring 12, 18, 24, and 30 weeks after the loss, regardless of when the participants start the program. These assessments will include questions about mental and physical health adjustment, beliefs about the loss, and coping status.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 21 Years and older |
Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Contact: Brett T. Litz, PhD | 857-364-4131 | brett.litz@va.gov |
United States, Massachusetts | |
Boston VA Medical Center | |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02130 |
Principal Investigator: | Brett T. Litz, PhD | Boston University |
Responsible Party: | Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry ( Brett T. Litz/Professor ) |
Study ID Numbers: | R34 MH079884, DSIR 83-ATP |
Study First Received: | January 11, 2008 |
Last Updated: | August 22, 2008 |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00598884 |
Health Authority: | United States: Federal Government |
Clinical Protocols Behavioral Research Prevention |