An internet-based photography therapy intervention into the grief of persons who have lost a loved one

Abstract

ABSTRACT Persons who have lost a loved one by death are increasingly searching for support from online peer groups to process their grief. One approach involves sharing photographs with peers online. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a four-week internet-based photography therapy intervention concerning participants’ grief reactions using the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (HGRC). Another aim was to assess the role of the moderator and describe development targets in the internet-based photography therapy group based on the participants’ experiences. The participants were individuals who had lost a loved one divided into an intervention group (n = 101) and a comparison group (n = 55). The changes in the dimensions of grief of the intervention group members were slightly greater than in the comparison group. The dimension of panic behaviour declined statistically significantly more in the intervention than in the comparison group during the follow-up period. While the participants from the intervention group valued the expertise of the moderator, the moderator’s role could have been more visible. The participants also wished that the therapeutic photography group would have included more active involvement. Additionally, the participants made suggestions on modifying intervention content and developing a platform better suited for sharing photographs.