Prolonged grievers: A qualitative evaluation of a support group intervention

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this project was to study prolonged grievers psychosocial processes and experience during participation in a group intervention and 6-8 weeks after discontinuation. The intervention in this study was a group therapy with the aim of getting in contact with their pain and loss and confronting and working with this loss.Methods: Data was collected by using diaries and tape-recorded interviews, analyzed with grounded theory. The participants were 11 females between the ages of 33 and 71.Results: The main process that was found in the qualitative data was: Ambivalence when struggling and learning through work and rest towards a balance. Sub-processes were: To share and be confirmed in the group through sense of cohesion; To dare/venture to discover problems and solutions; To react when you get emotionally involved, and to compare and discover.Significance of results: This study gives insight into prolonged grievers' thinking, which is valuable knowledge. Rather than assuming that all individuals suffering from prolonged grief need the same treatment, we suggest that there should be a range of different therapies.

Qualitative Diary Methods in Mental Health Research

“…Weekly diaries were typically used alongside intervention evaluations, to coincide with weekly intervention sessions and solicit participants’ reflections post-session (e.g. Friedrichsen et al, 2014; Kragh et al, 2017; and others). Halliday et al (2022) used weekly diaries over 8 weeks during COVID-19 lockdown measures.…”

“…Practical considerations may determine when analysis can take place – such as in Friedrichsen et al (2014), where paper diaries were collected at the end of the study. Friedrichsen et al. reflect that while they used Grounded Theory for analysis, they could not use constant comparison during analysis as it was completed at the end, and as a result, their analysis did not reach the point of saturation.…”

“…Many of the included papers reflected on the strengths of using QDMs. Rich insights into participants’ thinking, emotions, and self-knowledge were commonly mentioned (Friedrichsen et al, 2014; Lev-Wiesel, 2006; Thomas & Lovell, 2015). Mackrill (2007) also highlighted the value of diaries in providing both real-time and retrospective insights into participants’ lives, where diaries were used to reflect on current and past experiences.…”