Cited by 376Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthDigital Mental Health InterventionsDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Complicated Grief: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Wagner, Birgit, Knaevelsrud, Christine, Maercker, Andreas·2006·Death Studies

Abstract

The present study investigates the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy program for bereaved people suffering complicated grief. The program combines established methods of psychotherapy with new technology--therapists and patients communicated exclusively by e-mail. Bereaved individuals diagnosed with complicated grief (n = 55) were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or a waiting list control condition. The 5-week intervention consisted of three modules: (1) exposure to bereavement cues; (2) cognitive reappraisal; and (3) integration and restoration. The Impact of Event Scale (IES), a failure to adapt scale, and the depression and anxiety subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used to assess treatment outcomes. Participants in the treatment group (n = 26) improved significantly relative to participants in the waiting condition on symptoms of intrusion, avoidance, maladaptive behavior, and general psychopathology, and showed a large treatment effect. Follow-up results show that this improvement was maintained after 3 months.

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Crossref · 10.1080/07481180600614385

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  • An Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for mothers after pregnancy loss showed positive treatment effects, with the intervention group showing significantly reduced symptoms of grief, PTSD, and depression after treatment relative to the waiting-list group, maintained at 3-month follow-up.

    “A further recent study examining the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for mothers after pregnancy loss67 showed positive treatment effects, with the intervention group showing significantly reduced symptoms of grief, PTSD, and depression after treatment relative to the waiting-list group, and this symptom reduction was maintained at 3-month followup.68,69”

    From Complicated grief after perinatal loss (2012) · cites this paper as [67]

  • Data on the efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy are available for a wide range of psychological disorders, including stress-related disorders.

    “Currently, data on the efficacy of ICBT are available for a wide range of psychological disorders, including stress-related disorders [19–23].”
  • In a trial comparing an Internet-based cognitive behavioral intervention with a waitlist control, the treatment group improved significantly in intrusion, avoidance, maladaptive behavior, and psychopathology in general.

    “The treatment group was found to have improved significantly in relation to subjects on the waitlist as regards symptoms such as intrusion, advoidance, maladaptive behavior, and psychopathology in general (Wagner, Knaevelsrud, & Maercker, 2006).”

    From Prolonged grief disorder treatment: An approach to COVID-19 grief (2023) · cites this paper as Wagner et al., 2006

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Authors
Wagner, B., Knaevelsrud, C., & Maercker, A.
Affiliations
University of Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Wagner, Birgit
Venue
Death Studies
Published
2006-06
Volume
30
Issue
5
Pages
429-453
ISSN
  • 0748-1187 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-7683
OpenAlex
W2018552270
Cited by
376
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 22
FWCI
16.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Death Studies (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
Keywords
complicated grief, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, bereavement, cognitive reappraisal, avoidance, depression, anxiety, maintenance of treatment effects
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Austria, Behavior Therapy, Germany, Grief, Humans, Switzerland, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Treatment Outcome, Internet, Electronic Mail

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