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Accelerated Resolution Therapy for Early Maladaptive Grief

This study is testing a therapy called Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for older adult family caregivers who are experiencing significant grief before a loved one passes away. ART is a brief therapy, delivered in a maximum of four sessions, that aims to reduce distress and help you focus on your relationship rather than the loss. The study will compare ART to an educational program that provides information and support. Researchers want to see if ART can reduce pre-loss grief and prevent prolonged grief disorder after bereavement. To join, you must be a primary caregiver of an immediate family member with less than 12 months to live and have a specific score on a grief assessment. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status.

Study design
This is a double-blinded, randomized, controlled study with two groups, planning to enroll 440 participants. You would either receive Accelerated Resolution Therapy or an educational program.
What's involved
You would participate in four sessions of either the ART intervention or the control intervention. Data will be collected at the start, after the sessions, and at 6 and 13 months after bereavement.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
You would be followed for changes in prolonged grief disorder at 6 and 13 months post-bereavement.

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NCT05624879

Accelerated Resolution Therapy for Early Maladaptive Grief

Recruiting
NAAges 60+InterventionalSupportive care
Mayo Clinic
~440 participants
Updated 2025-09-25 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Accelerated Resolution TherapyInformation and Support

At a glance

Recruiting sites
4 of 4 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Changes in pre-loss grief
Measured over Baseline, 4 weeks
+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Grief

Explore related trials

Family CaregiverGrief

Where it's being run

4 sites across 3 states
Florida2
Arizona1
Minnesota1

Study leadership

  • Cindy Tofthagen, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Mayo Clinic

Who to contact

Katharine E Sheffield, MA, CCRP
[email protected]
904-953-3972
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Primary caregiver of immediate family member who has a life expectancy of less than 12 months
Score of 30 or higher on the PG-12-R, indicating clinically significant pre-loss grief
Denial of suicidal ideation or intent, with no evidence of psychotic behavior.

Exclusion

Since becoming a family caregiver (FCG), they have engaged in another trauma based psychotherapeutic regimen (EMDR, prolonged exposure therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy) that could influence response to accelerated resolution therapy (ART).
Self-reported or clinically assessed major psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia).
Score of \> 2 on the adapted CAGE questionnaire indicating alcohol /drug dependence.
Cognitive impairment (SPMSQ \> 4 errors).

What this trial measures

  • Changes in pre-loss griefBaseline, 4 weeks

    Measured by 14-item self-reported Prolonged Grief-12-Revised (PG-12-R) designed to measure the grief experience of current family caregivers of persons living with progressive disease. Total grief level scores greater than or equal to 30 indicate high levels of pre-loss grief.

  • Changes in prolonged grief disorder6 and 13 months post-bereavement

    Measured by 13-item self-reported Prolonged Grief-13-Revised (PG-13-R) designed to assess indicators of pathological grief. Total scores range from 10-50; with score \>29 = prolonged grief.

  • Changes in clinical measure of prolonged grief disorder6 and 13 months post-bereavement

    Measured by 31-item Structured Clinical Interview for Prolonged Grief Disorder (SCI-P) administered by healthcare professional. Higher scores = higher complicated grief symptoms.