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Grief Counseling for Bereaved Parents

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Wendy Lichtenthal, PhD
Research Sponsored by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Biological or adoptive parent or stepparent as reported in the child's medical record or by parent report
Parent must be age 18 or over as reported by parent
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 4 years
Awards & highlights

Study Summary

This trial is testing a new counseling program for parents who have lost a child, to help them with the emotional burden of their loss.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for parents in certain areas of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania who have lost a child and are struggling with grief. They must be at least 18 years old, speak English well enough to complete study tasks, and have been grieving for at least six months.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The study tests a new counseling program called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT) against Supportive Psychotherapy (SP). Parents will also fill out questionnaires to help researchers understand the impact of these therapies on their grief.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Since this trial involves psychotherapy interventions rather than medications, traditional side effects are not expected. However, participants may experience emotional discomfort when discussing sensitive topics related to their loss.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
I am the child's biological, adoptive, or stepparent.
Select...
I am a parent and I am 18 years old or older.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~4 years
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 4 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
feasibility defined and measured as the proportion of participants who complete at least 8 out of 16 sessions of therapy as well as completion of the T3 PG-13 assessment
psychological outcome data in prolonged grief symptoms, assessed with the PG-13 summary score.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT)Experimental Treatment2 Interventions
Part 1: Open Trials. Participants (n = 5 for Step 1 & n = 5 for Step 2) will receive 16 1-hour (approx) weekly sessions MCGT, & all therapy sessions will be audio recorded. Will make every effort to complete 16 sessions in 16 weeks, due to normal life activities, this is considered an approximation (i.e. there may be weeks where sessions don't take place &/or weeks where more than 1 session takes place in a week). If participant provides us with permission, we will also video record the sessions. Assessments will be administered at 4 time points: pre-intervention (T1), mid-intervention (T2), post-intervention (T3), & at 3-months post-intervention (T4). They will provide their feedback about MCGT & the measures. PI will review the open trial sessions to help refine the MCGT manual & treatment integrity forms. Sessions for Step 1 participants in Part 1 will be held at the MSK Counseling Center. Sessions for Step 2 participants in Part 1 will be conducted via videoconferencing.
Group II: MCGT or Supportive PsychotherapyExperimental Treatment3 Interventions
Part 2: Pilot RCT. Will randomize 66 parents to 16 weekly 60-90 minute (approx) sessions of MCGT or SP delivered via videoconferencing. Again, sessions will be audio recorded. If the participant provides us with permission, we also audio/video record the sessions. We will examine aspects of study implementation & therapy process, including a) recruitment progress, b) implementation of the intervention, c) administration of the assessments, & d) retention. We will also examine acceptability, defined as measures of satisfaction at T3. Psychosocial outcomes will be assessed with self-report measures at 4 time points: pre-intervention (T1), mid-intervention (T2), post-intervention (T3), & at 3-months post-intervention (T4). Post-intervention qualitative exit interviews will assess acceptability of the intervention. Post-intervention qualitative exit interviews will assess acceptability of the MCGT intervention .

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Monash UniversityOTHER
187 Previous Clinical Trials
10,486,483 Total Patients Enrolled
University of MemphisOTHER
70 Previous Clinical Trials
11,781 Total Patients Enrolled
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterLead Sponsor
1,933 Previous Clinical Trials
585,514 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT02153619 — N/A
Bereaved Parents Research Study Groups: Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT), MCGT or Supportive Psychotherapy
Bereaved Parents Clinical Trial 2023: Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT) Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT02153619 — N/A
Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT02153619 — N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

How many volunteers are being recruited for this trial?

"Affirmative. According to clinicaltrials.gov, this study which was initially posted on May 1st 2014 is actively looking for participants. 119 individuals must be sourced from a single medical facility."

Answered by AI

Are investigators currently enrolling participants for this research endeavor?

"Yes, the information on clinicialtrials.gov verifies that this study is actively seeking candidates. It was first announced on May 1st 2014 and recently updated to October 28th 2022; they are in search of 119 participants from a single site."

Answered by AI
~10 spots leftby May 2025