title: The Process of Change in Complicated Grief Group Therapy for Bereaved Dementia Caregivers: An Evaluation Using the Meaning of Loss Codebook.
abstract: Caring for a person with dementia has adverse health and mental health effects that, for 9-25% of caregivers, persist as complicated grief (CG). For bereaved dementia caregivers unable to satisfactorily grieve, specialized Complicated Grief Group Therapy (CGGT) can restore healthy grief. We investigated therapeutic change in CGGT participants, using an adapted version of the Gillies' Meaning of Loss Codebook. Participants demonstrated positive gains in 16 thematic areas, notably in moving on with life, summoning pleasant memories, and ascribing bad memories to disease rather than decedent. Meaning transitioned from negative to positive interpretations of the death over the course of treatment.
authors.affiliation: a University of Utah College of Nursing , Salt Lake City , Utah , USA.
authors.forename: Katherine P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Supiano
authors.affiliation: a University of Utah College of Nursing , Salt Lake City , Utah , USA.
authors.forename: Lara Burns
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.affiliation: b Primary Children's Hospital , Salt Lake City , Utah , USA.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pond
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001601:Bereavement; D017028:Caregivers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Dementia caregiving; complicated grief; group psychotherapy