Wendy G Lichtenthal
Biographic Data
| ID | 174376 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Wendy G Lichtenthal |
| GIVEN NAMES | Wendy G |
| FAMILY NAME | Lichtenthal |
| SIGNATURE | LICHTENTHAL W G |
| AFFILIATIONS | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3597-7826 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Strengthening peer support for families bereaved by sudden unexpected infant death
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the leading cause of postneonatal mortality worldwide. Bereaved parents commonly seek peer support for bereavement-related needs, but competencies and standardized training for organizations offering peer facilitators are lacking. We developed and piloted a train-the-trainer curriculum addressing peer facilitators' knowledge, skills, and attitudes for supporting SUID-bereaved parents. A needs assessment of…
Remembering the life and dying days of a deceased close other
Grievers recall memories from both the life of the deceased and the dying days, but differences in recall across these memory types are not well-characterized. In this study, 100 bereaved German adults described up to ten important memories of a deceased close other ( M = 7.86). Memories from the dying days were classified into: final memories, health transition events, last time events, and temporal markers . Among those who provided at least on…
The Critical Need for a Meaning-Centered Team-Level Intervention to Address Healthcare Provider Distress Now
COVID-19 has unveiled and amplified the burnout, grief, and other forms of distress among healthcare providers (HCPs) that long preceded the pandemic. The suffering of the healthcare workforce cannot be simply and sufficiently addressed with a single psychotherapeutic intervention. Nevertheless, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Studies recommended prioritizing interventions that generate an increased sense of meaning …
The Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS)
Although unresolved issues with the deceased are often targeted in bereavement interventions, understanding of this construct has been hampered by the lack of a psychometrically validated scale to assess it. To address this gap, the Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS) was developed and tested in two samples of bereaved adults ( n = 292 and 168). In exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the UBBS was found to be composed of two …
Unfinished Business in Bereavement
Unfinished business (incomplete, unexpressed or unresolved relationship issues with the deceased) is frequently discussed as a risk factor for chronic and severe grief reactions. However, few empirical studies have examined this construct. The present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by examining the presence and severity of unfinished business as well as common themes of unfinished business reported in open-ended qualitative nar…
Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer
This systematic review synthesizes the complex literature on prognostic awareness in cancer. A total of 37 studies examining cancer patients’ understanding of their prognosis were included. Prognostic awareness definitions and assessment methods were inconsistent across studies. A surprisingly high percentage of patients (up to 75%) were unaware of their poor prognosis, and in several studies, even their cancer diagnosis (up to 96%), particularly…
Talking About Familial Breast Cancer Risk
A hereditary cancer predisposition can rattle families, creating dysfunctional interactions. Families need assistance navigating conversations about risk. Because mothers and daughters uniquely share breast cancer experiences and risk, there is a particular need for practitioners to assist them with communication. Three focus groups were conducted with 11 mothers with an elevated cancer risk (with adolescent daughters) receiving genetic counselin…
Bereavement-Related Regret Trajectories Among Widowed Older Adults
These findings highlight the importance of periodically reassessing bereavement-related regrets (and perhaps other aspects of the continued relationship with the deceased) over time and support the rationale behind interventions designed to facilitate resolution of these issues
Cause of Death and the Quest for Meaning After the Loss of a Child
This study examined patterns of making meaning among 155 parents whose children died from a variety of violent and non-violent causes. Findings indicated 53% of violent loss survivors could not make sense of their loss, as compared to 32% of non-violent loss survivors. Overall, there was overlap in sense-making strategies across different causes of death, with many parents invoking spiritual and religious meanings and the cultivation of empathy f…
Sense and significance
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify specific themes of meaning making (sense making and benefit finding) among bereaved parents, as well as to examine associations of these themes to the severity of grief symptomatology. A sample of 156 bereaved parents responded in writing to open‐ended questions about sense making and benefit finding. We assessed normative grief symptoms with the Core Bereavement Items (Burnett, Middleton, R…
Effects of Directed Written Disclosure on Grief and Distress Symptoms Among Bereaved Individuals
Bereavement-specific written disclosure trials have generally demonstrated null effects, but these studies have not directed the focus of writing. This randomized controlled trial compared directed writing that focused on either sense-making or benefit-finding, both associated with adjustment to loss, to traditional, non-directed emotional disclosure and a control condition. Bereaved undergraduates (n = 68) completed three 20-min writing sessions…
Family Care before and after Bereavement
Distress reverberates throughout the family during palliative care and bereavement, inviting consideration of a family-centered model of care. Targeting families thought to be "at risk" has merit. The Family Focused Grief Therapy model was tested in a randomized controlled trial of 81 families (353 individuals) and bereavement outcome is reported here for treatment completers compared to controls. There were no significant baseline differences be…
Psychosocial Factors Related to the Correspondence of Recipient and Provider Perceptions of Social Support among Patients Diagnosed with or at Risk for Malignant Melanoma
This study examined considered perceptions of social support and factors contributing to increased support among 18 patients diagnosed with or at risk for malignant melanoma and their partners. Partner support, perceived stress, emotional approach coping and partner empathy were evaluated. Results showed lack of correspondence between patient and partner reports of support. Greater correspondence between reports was associated with increased pati…
Cause of Death and the Quest for Meaning After the Loss of a Child
This study examined patterns of making meaning among 155 parents whose children died from a variety of violent and non-violent causes. Findings indicated 53% of violent loss survivors could not make sense of their loss, as compared to 32% of non-violent loss survivors. Overall, there was overlap in sense-making strategies across different causes of death, with many parents invoking spiritual and religious meanings and the cultivation of empathy f…
Effects of Directed Written Disclosure on Grief and Distress Symptoms Among Bereaved Individuals
Bereavement-specific written disclosure trials have generally demonstrated null effects, but these studies have not directed the focus of writing. This randomized controlled trial compared directed writing that focused on either sense-making or benefit-finding, both associated with adjustment to loss, to traditional, non-directed emotional disclosure and a control condition. Bereaved undergraduates (n = 68) completed three 20-min writing sessions…
Unfinished Business in Bereavement
Unfinished business (incomplete, unexpressed or unresolved relationship issues with the deceased) is frequently discussed as a risk factor for chronic and severe grief reactions. However, few empirical studies have examined this construct. The present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by examining the presence and severity of unfinished business as well as common themes of unfinished business reported in open-ended qualitative nar…
The Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS)
Although unresolved issues with the deceased are often targeted in bereavement interventions, understanding of this construct has been hampered by the lack of a psychometrically validated scale to assess it. To address this gap, the Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS) was developed and tested in two samples of bereaved adults ( n = 292 and 168). In exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the UBBS was found to be composed of two …
Talking About Familial Breast Cancer Risk
A hereditary cancer predisposition can rattle families, creating dysfunctional interactions. Families need assistance navigating conversations about risk. Because mothers and daughters uniquely share breast cancer experiences and risk, there is a particular need for practitioners to assist them with communication. Three focus groups were conducted with 11 mothers with an elevated cancer risk (with adolescent daughters) receiving genetic counselin…
Bereavement-Related Regret Trajectories Among Widowed Older Adults
These findings highlight the importance of periodically reassessing bereavement-related regrets (and perhaps other aspects of the continued relationship with the deceased) over time and support the rationale behind interventions designed to facilitate resolution of these issues
Psychosocial Factors Related to the Correspondence of Recipient and Provider Perceptions of Social Support among Patients Diagnosed with or at Risk for Malignant Melanoma
This study examined considered perceptions of social support and factors contributing to increased support among 18 patients diagnosed with or at risk for malignant melanoma and their partners. Partner support, perceived stress, emotional approach coping and partner empathy were evaluated. Results showed lack of correspondence between patient and partner reports of support. Greater correspondence between reports was associated with increased pati…
Psychosocial Factors Related to the Correspondence of Recipient and Provider Perceptions of Social Support among Patients Diagnosed with or at Risk for Malignant Melanoma
This study examined considered perceptions of social support and factors contributing to increased support among 18 patients diagnosed with or at risk for malignant melanoma and their partners. Partner support, perceived stress, emotional approach coping and partner empathy were evaluated. Results showed lack of correspondence between patient and partner reports of support. Greater correspondence between reports was associated with increased pati…
Family Care before and after Bereavement
Distress reverberates throughout the family during palliative care and bereavement, inviting consideration of a family-centered model of care. Targeting families thought to be "at risk" has merit. The Family Focused Grief Therapy model was tested in a randomized controlled trial of 81 families (353 individuals) and bereavement outcome is reported here for treatment completers compared to controls. There were no significant baseline differences be…
Sense and significance
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify specific themes of meaning making (sense making and benefit finding) among bereaved parents, as well as to examine associations of these themes to the severity of grief symptomatology. A sample of 156 bereaved parents responded in writing to open‐ended questions about sense making and benefit finding. We assessed normative grief symptoms with the Core Bereavement Items (Burnett, Middleton, R…
Effects of Directed Written Disclosure on Grief and Distress Symptoms Among Bereaved Individuals
Bereavement-specific written disclosure trials have generally demonstrated null effects, but these studies have not directed the focus of writing. This randomized controlled trial compared directed writing that focused on either sense-making or benefit-finding, both associated with adjustment to loss, to traditional, non-directed emotional disclosure and a control condition. Bereaved undergraduates (n = 68) completed three 20-min writing sessions…
Bereavement-Related Regret Trajectories Among Widowed Older Adults
These findings highlight the importance of periodically reassessing bereavement-related regrets (and perhaps other aspects of the continued relationship with the deceased) over time and support the rationale behind interventions designed to facilitate resolution of these issues
Cause of Death and the Quest for Meaning After the Loss of a Child
This study examined patterns of making meaning among 155 parents whose children died from a variety of violent and non-violent causes. Findings indicated 53% of violent loss survivors could not make sense of their loss, as compared to 32% of non-violent loss survivors. Overall, there was overlap in sense-making strategies across different causes of death, with many parents invoking spiritual and religious meanings and the cultivation of empathy f…
Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer
This systematic review synthesizes the complex literature on prognostic awareness in cancer. A total of 37 studies examining cancer patients’ understanding of their prognosis were included. Prognostic awareness definitions and assessment methods were inconsistent across studies. A surprisingly high percentage of patients (up to 75%) were unaware of their poor prognosis, and in several studies, even their cancer diagnosis (up to 96%), particularly…
Talking About Familial Breast Cancer Risk
A hereditary cancer predisposition can rattle families, creating dysfunctional interactions. Families need assistance navigating conversations about risk. Because mothers and daughters uniquely share breast cancer experiences and risk, there is a particular need for practitioners to assist them with communication. Three focus groups were conducted with 11 mothers with an elevated cancer risk (with adolescent daughters) receiving genetic counselin…
Unfinished Business in Bereavement
Unfinished business (incomplete, unexpressed or unresolved relationship issues with the deceased) is frequently discussed as a risk factor for chronic and severe grief reactions. However, few empirical studies have examined this construct. The present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by examining the presence and severity of unfinished business as well as common themes of unfinished business reported in open-ended qualitative nar…
The Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS)
Although unresolved issues with the deceased are often targeted in bereavement interventions, understanding of this construct has been hampered by the lack of a psychometrically validated scale to assess it. To address this gap, the Unfinished Business in Bereavement Scale (UBBS) was developed and tested in two samples of bereaved adults ( n = 292 and 168). In exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the UBBS was found to be composed of two …
The Critical Need for a Meaning-Centered Team-Level Intervention to Address Healthcare Provider Distress Now
COVID-19 has unveiled and amplified the burnout, grief, and other forms of distress among healthcare providers (HCPs) that long preceded the pandemic. The suffering of the healthcare workforce cannot be simply and sufficiently addressed with a single psychotherapeutic intervention. Nevertheless, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Studies recommended prioritizing interventions that generate an increased sense of meaning …
Remembering the life and dying days of a deceased close other
Grievers recall memories from both the life of the deceased and the dying days, but differences in recall across these memory types are not well-characterized. In this study, 100 bereaved German adults described up to ten important memories of a deceased close other ( M = 7.86). Memories from the dying days were classified into: final memories, health transition events, last time events, and temporal markers . Among those who provided at least on…
Strengthening peer support for families bereaved by sudden unexpected infant death
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the leading cause of postneonatal mortality worldwide. Bereaved parents commonly seek peer support for bereavement-related needs, but competencies and standardized training for organizations offering peer facilitators are lacking. We developed and piloted a train-the-trainer curriculum addressing peer facilitators' knowledge, skills, and attitudes for supporting SUID-bereaved parents. A needs assessment of…
Psychology (11 works) · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health (9 works) · Medicine (9 works) · Grief (8 works) · Psychotherapist (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (7 works) · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues (7 works) · Psychiatry (7 works) · Clinical Psychology (6 works) · Psychological intervention (6 works)