Survivors’ perspectives on a modular approach to traumatic grief treatment

ABSTRACT

Understanding survivors’ perspectives on treatment is important in a patient-centered approach to developing interventions for traumatic loss. Focus groups were conducted with 23 motor vehicle crash, suicide, and homicide survivors. Survivors’ attitudes toward a modular treatment for traumatic loss were assessed. This study also sought to explore survivors’ perspectives on the acceptability of existing evidence-based practice elements in the treatment of bereavement-related mental health problems. Qualitative analyses suggest that survivors liked a modular treatment approach and agreed that existing practice elements could be useful in addressing bereavement-related concerns. Implications for developing a modular treatment package for traumatic loss are discussed.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute voucher award (NIH/NCRR#UL1RR029882, voucher #5598-0001 PI: Williams). Manuscript preparation was supported by NIMH Training Grant T32 MH18869-26 and NIH Loan Repayment Award L30 MH104802. Portions of this work were presented at the 30th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in Miami, FL and the Restorative Retelling Conference in Seattle, WA, USA.