Internet-Based Treatment for Complicated Grief: Concepts and Case Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The authors review current concepts of complicated grief and propose a new Internet-based cognitive-behavioral treatment program for complicated grief. They show how complicated grief is distinguished from disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety in the literature and explore the effectiveness of existing bereavement interventions. According to meta-analyses, conventional bereavement interventions show no overall benefit and may even have harmful effects if initiated too soon. For people with complicated grief symptoms or those affected by a death in traumatic circumstances, however, interventions have proved to reduce symptoms. Against this background, the authors introduce an Internet-based cognitive-behavioral treatment program for complicated grief that integrates established methods of psychotherapy with new technology. The intervention was conducted via e-mail and aimed exclusively at clients with complicated grief. The procedure and course of this new approach are illustrated in a case study. The treatment successfully reduced symptoms. Results and further implications of an Internet-based writing protocol are discussed.