Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial

L. Reitsma; P. A. Boelen; J. de Keijser; L.I.M. Lenferink

doi:10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687

Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial

L. Reitsma, P. A. Boelen, J. de Keijser, L.I.M. Lenferink^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Losing a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic is a potentially traumatic loss that may result in symptoms of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. To date, grief-specific cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) has mostly been delivered through individual face-to-face formats, while studies have shown that online treatment also yields promising results. Offering treatment online is now more than ever relevant during the pan demic and may offer important benefits compared with face-to-face CBT, such as lower costs and higher accessibility. Our expectation is that grief-specific online CBT is effective in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptoms.

Objective: Our aim is to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of grief-specific online CBT in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptom-levels for adults who lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: This study consists of two parts. In part 1, a two-armed (unguided online CBT versus waitlist controls) randomized controlled trial will be conducted. In part 2, a two-armed (guided online CBT versus unguided online CBT) controlled trial will be conducted. Symptoms of PCBD, PTSD, and depression will be assessed via telephone interviews at pre-treatment/pre-waiting period, post-treatment/post-waiting period, and six months post-treatment. Potential participants are people who lost a loved one at least three months earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic with clinically relevant levels of PCBD, PTSD, and/or depression. Analysis of covariance and multilevel modelling will be performed.

Discussion: This is one of the first studies examining the effectiveness of online grief-specific CBT. More research is needed before implementing online grief-specific CBT into clinical practice.

Original language	English
Article number	1987687
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Journal	European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687
Publication status	Published - 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Part 1 was supported by the COVID-19 Fund of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University and part 2 by Fonds Slachtofferhulp.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Funding

Part 1 was supported by the COVID-19 Fund of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University and part 2 by Fonds Slachtofferhulp.

Keywords

bereavement
CBT
Coronavirus
depression
grief
online treatment
posttraumatic stress

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687Licence: CC BY-NC

20008198.2021 (1)Final published version, 1.18 MBLicence: CC BY-NC

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Reitsma, L., Boelen, P. A., de Keijser, J., & Lenferink, L. I. M. (2021). Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 12(1), 1-10. Article 1987687. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687

Reitsma, L. ; Boelen, P. A. ; de Keijser, J. et al. / Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic : study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial. In: European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 2021 ; Vol. 12, No. 1. pp. 1-10.

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title = "Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial",

abstract = "Background: Losing a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic is a potentially traumatic loss that may result in symptoms of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. To date, grief-specific cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) has mostly been delivered through individual face-to-face formats, while studies have shown that online treatment also yields promising results. Offering treatment online is now more than ever relevant during the pan demic and may offer important benefits compared with face-to-face CBT, such as lower costs and higher accessibility. Our expectation is that grief-specific online CBT is effective in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptoms.Objective: Our aim is to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of grief-specific online CBT in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptom-levels for adults who lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This study consists of two parts. In part 1, a two-armed (unguided online CBT versus waitlist controls) randomized controlled trial will be conducted. In part 2, a two-armed (guided online CBT versus unguided online CBT) controlled trial will be conducted. Symptoms of PCBD, PTSD, and depression will be assessed via telephone interviews at pre-treatment/pre-waiting period, post-treatment/post-waiting period, and six months post-treatment. Potential participants are people who lost a loved one at least three months earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic with clinically relevant levels of PCBD, PTSD, and/or depression. Analysis of covariance and multilevel modelling will be performed. Discussion: This is one of the first studies examining the effectiveness of online grief-specific CBT. More research is needed before implementing online grief-specific CBT into clinical practice.",

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author = "L. Reitsma and Boelen, {P. A.} and {de Keijser}, J. and L.I.M. Lenferink",

note = "Funding Information: Part 1 was supported by the COVID-19 Fund of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University and part 2 by Fonds Slachtofferhulp. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",

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Reitsma, L , Boelen, PA, de Keijser, J & Lenferink, LIM 2021, 'Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial', European Journal of Psychotraumatology, vol. 12, no. 1, 1987687, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687

Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial. / Reitsma, L.; Boelen, P. A.; de Keijser, J. et al.
In: European Journal of Psychotraumatology, Vol. 12, No. 1, 1987687, 2021, p. 1-10.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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AU - Boelen, P. A.

AU - de Keijser, J.

AU - Lenferink, L.I.M.

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AB - Background: Losing a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic is a potentially traumatic loss that may result in symptoms of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. To date, grief-specific cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) has mostly been delivered through individual face-to-face formats, while studies have shown that online treatment also yields promising results. Offering treatment online is now more than ever relevant during the pan demic and may offer important benefits compared with face-to-face CBT, such as lower costs and higher accessibility. Our expectation is that grief-specific online CBT is effective in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptoms.Objective: Our aim is to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of grief-specific online CBT in reducing PCBD, PTSD, and depression symptom-levels for adults who lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This study consists of two parts. In part 1, a two-armed (unguided online CBT versus waitlist controls) randomized controlled trial will be conducted. In part 2, a two-armed (guided online CBT versus unguided online CBT) controlled trial will be conducted. Symptoms of PCBD, PTSD, and depression will be assessed via telephone interviews at pre-treatment/pre-waiting period, post-treatment/post-waiting period, and six months post-treatment. Potential participants are people who lost a loved one at least three months earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic with clinically relevant levels of PCBD, PTSD, and/or depression. Analysis of covariance and multilevel modelling will be performed. Discussion: This is one of the first studies examining the effectiveness of online grief-specific CBT. More research is needed before implementing online grief-specific CBT into clinical practice.

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Reitsma L , Boelen PA, de Keijser J, Lenferink LIM. Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial. European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 2021;12(1):1-10. 1987687. doi: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1987687

Online treatment of persistent complex bereavement disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression symptoms in people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and a controlled trial

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this