Digital GSH for PGD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Digital Guided Self-Help (GSH) for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD)
IRAS ID
287681
Contact name
Jonathan Bisson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Whilst the majority of people recover naturally from a bereavement, approximately 9.8% go on to develop Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). PGD is characterised by longing or persistent preoccupation with the deceased, accompanied by intense emotional pain, which has persisted for 6 months or more and has significantly impaired functioning. PGD is also associated with suicide, poor social and occupational functioning, and physical health problems. Although there is evidence that PGD specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective, it is not widely available. PGD specific CBT is time consuming and costly to administer, and few therapists are trained in its delivery. A solution is to deliver psychological therapy in a guided self-help (GSH) format, via the internet. Requiring less therapist time and specialist expertise, digital GSH is a cost-effective way of increasing therapeutic capacity. Digital GSH is effective for disorders such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. However, there are no interventions of this sort available for PGD in the UK. Building on the research team’s experience of having developed an effective digital GSH treatment for PTSD, the project aims to deliver an optimally cost-effective intervention to help meet the demand for PGD treatment. We will work with people with lived experience of PGD to co-produce a CBT-based programme following Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for the development of complex interventions. The methodology can be broken down into three stages: (1) a modelling phase to develop an initial prototype based on existing evidence and qualitative work with key stakeholders; (2) pilot work with ten purposively sampled participants to refine the prototype on the basis of qualitative and quantitative outcome measures; and (3) a single-blind feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a cross-over design, which will randomise 42 participants in a 1:1 ratio to receive immediate GSH or to a waiting-list control group.
REC name
Wales REC 2
REC reference
20/WA/0333
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion