Randomized Controlled Trial of a Cognitive Narrative Crisis Intervention for Bereavement in Primary Healthcare.
OBJECTIVE
As there are known risks of retraumatization through bereavement crisis interventions, we tailored a new intervention lowering the degree of direct emotional activation. However, we need some evidence on the effects of depression and psychotraumatic symptoms between 1 and 6 months after a loss.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two groups: control group (n = 18) and experimental group (n = 11) in two assessments (1 and 6 months after loss); both included a semi-structured interview (Socio-Demographic Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised-IES-R). The experimental group had a cognitive-narrative program with four sessions: recalling; cognitive and emotional subjectivization; metaphorization; and projecting sessions.


RESULTS
Participants in the experimental and control groups have lower levels of depression and traumatic stress 6 months after a loss. Statistically significant results in emotional numbing IES-R sub-scale are observed.


CONCLUSIONS
A brief narrative-based cost-effective intervention has a positive effect on depression, controlling the traumatic stress and time after a loss.
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
Ana Sofia
AS
Andrade
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
Margarida
M
Moreira
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
Mónica
M
Sá
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
Duarte
D
Pacheco
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
Vera
V
Almeida
IINFACTS,CESPU,Portugal.
José Carlos
JC
Rocha
D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Prevention; cognitive narrative; crisis; primary health care; randomized trial