Six-Year Follow-up of a Preventive Intervention for Parentally Bereaved Youths

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of the Family Bereavement Program (FBP) to prevent mental health problems in parentally bereaved youths and their parents 6 years later. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Arizona State University Prevention Research Center from November 2002 to July 2005. Participants Two hundred eighteen bereaved youths (89.34% of 244 enrolled in the trial 6 years earlier) and 113 spousally bereaved parents. Interventions The FBP includes 12 group sessions for caregivers and youths; the literature control (LC) condition includes bereavement books for youths and caregivers. Main Outcome Measures Comparisons of youths in the FBP and LC on a measure of mental disorder diagnosis, 5 measures of mental health problems, and 4 measures of competent functioning; and comparisons of spousally bereaved parents on 2 measures of mental health problems. Results Youths in the FBP as compared with those in the LC had significantly lower externalizing problems as reported by caregivers and youths (adjusted mean, −0.06 vs 0.13, respectively;P = .02) and on teacher reports of externalizing problems (adjusted mean, 52.69 vs 56.27, respectively;P = .001) and internalizing problems (adjusted mean, 47.29 vs 56.27, respectively;P = .002), and they had higher self-esteem (adjusted mean, 33.93 vs 31.91, respectively;P = .005). Parents in the FBP had lower depression scores than those in the LC (adjusted mean, 5.48 vs 7.83, respectively;P = .04). A significant moderated program effect indicated that for youths with lower baseline problems, the rate of diagnosed mental disorder was lower for those in the FBP than in the LC. Conclusion This study demonstrates efficacy of the FBP to reduce mental health problems of bereaved youths and their parents 6 years later. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01008189