Online cognitive behavioral therapy for prolonged grief after traumatic loss: a randomized waitlist-controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1. Design of RCT.

CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy; T1, first timepoint; T2, second timepoint; T3, third timepoint; T4, fourth timepoint; T5, fifth timepoint.

Figure 2. Flowchart.

Table 1. Sample characteristics at T1 (N = 40).

Characteristic	Total group		Treatment condition				Test	p-value
			Online CBT		Waitlist
Sex, n (%)							χ^2(1, N = 40) = 0.30	.583
Male	10	(25)	4	(21)	6	(29)
Female	30	(75)	15	(79)	15	(71)
Age, Mean (SD)	52.75	(9.51)	52.32	(9.24)	53.14	(9.95)	t(df = 38) = 0.27	.787
Education, n (%)							χ^2(1, N = 40) = 2.41	.121
Other than college/university	24	(60)	9	(47)	15	(71)
College/university	16	(40)	10	(53)	6	(29)
Time since loss in years, Mean (SD)	4.38	(6.18)	4.68	(4.85)	4.10	(7.29)	t(df = 38) = −0.30	.768
Deceased is^a, n (%)
Child	25	(63)	11	(58)	14	(67)	χ^2(1, N = 40) = 3.03	.082
Partner	7	(18)	2	(11)	5	(24)
Parent	4	(10)	3	(16)	1	(5)
Sibling	3	(8)	2	(11)	1	(5)
Other	1	(3)	1	(5)	0	(0)
Multiple losses due to traffic accident, n (%)							χ^2(1, N = 40) = 0.26	.609
No	37	(93)	18	(95)	19	(91)
Yes	3	(8)	1	(5)	2	(10)
Symptom levels at T1, Mean (SD)
Prolonged grief	38.15	(4.78)	37.37	(5.28)	38.86	(4.28)	t(df = 38) = 0.98	.332
Post-traumatic stress	36.85	(13.23)	37.26	(13.30)	36.48	(13.49)	t(df = 38) = −0.19	.854
Depression	10.83	(3.97)	10.47	(4.25)	11.14	(3.77)	t(df = 38) = −0.53	.601

^aWe dichotomized this variable into loss of child/spouse vs. other close person, when testing for differences in frequencies between conditions.

Table 2. Estimates for prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and depression symptoms for intention-to-treat sample (N = 40).

	Prolonged grief			Post-traumatic stress			Depression
	B	SE	p-Value	B	SE	p-Value	B	SE	p-Value
Intercept	38.86	1.16	<.001	36.48	2.90	<.001	11.14	0.87	<.001
T1 vs. T2	−2.69	0.93	.005	−4.17	2.06	.048	−0.61	0.61	.321
T2 vs. T3	−3.46	0.95	<.001	−2.75	2.11	.199	−0.74	0.62	.238
Condition	−1.49	1.68	.380	0.79	4.20	.852	−0.67	1.27	.601
T1 vs T2 * Condition	−6.01	1.47	<.001	−12.88	3.29	<.001	−5.01	0.96	<.001
T2 vs T3 * Condition	−5.64	1.52	<.001	−9.73	3.39	.006	−4.12	1.00	<.001

Condition was coded as 0 = waitlist and 1 = online CBT.