Complicated grief group therapy for community-residing persons diagnosed with serious mental illness. Issue 5 (3rd September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Supiano, Katherine P.; Larsen, Paula; Riley, Colin; Hutton, Ann; Iacob, Eli; Walker, Andrew M.; Morrison, Sarah Jane
• Is Part Of: Social work in mental health. Volume 19:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 381
• Page End: 402
• Publication Date: 2021-09-03
• Subjects: Grief -- complicated grief -- group therapy -- intervention -- community-based -- trauma; Psychiatric social work -- Periodicals; 362.2042505
• DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2021.1940419
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1533-2985

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The traumatic death of a significant person is an under-appreciated adverse life event. Unresolved grief from traumatic death is associated with complicated grief (CG) in adulthood and both contribute to and sustain serious mental illness in adulthood. Persons diagnosed with serious mental illness experiencing CG represent vulnerable persons for whom traditional care is therapeutically insufficient, when the trauma of underlying grief is unaddressed. We examined the feasibility and impact of community implementation of Complicated Grief Group Therapy for persons diagnosed with serious mental illness with CG. Program completers showed statistically significant improvement in grief measures and interpersonal well-being.