CHILDHOOD BEREAVEMENT: PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST FINDINGS OF A POST-DEATH INTERVENTION PROGRAM.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a time-limited support group for children who had recently experienced the death of a close family member. Research hypotheses were that children who participated in a support group would demonstrate significant decreases in adjustment problems related to the loss and that the specific reactions of death anxiety and guilt would be reduced. The study used a modified pretest-post-test control group design. The second experimental group (N = 11) acted as a control for the first group (N = 10), the experimental-treatment group. The treatment consisted of five sessions, each lasting an hour and a half. The instruments used were the Louisville Behavior Check List (LBCL), the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), the Junior Manifest Anxiety Scale (JMAS), and the Guilt Scale (GS). An Analysis of Variance for repeated measures with post hoc testing was used. Results indicated that children who participated in a bereavement support group did not demonstrate significantly fewer adjustment problems, nor did they show significantly lowered anxiety and guilt. The results indicated that after a six week period participants in the support group did not increase in adjustment problems, anxiety and guilt. An evaluation questionnaire found that the majority of the participants responded positively to the group experience and wanted the group to continue. Limitations of the study were noted and recommendations for further investigation were made