Psychological Interventions for Individuals Bereaved by Homicide
A Systematic Review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19522004 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Filipa Alves-Costa (0000-0002-4031-3859), Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis (0000-0001-9796-2107), Hope Christie, Mariëtte van Denderen, Sarah Halligan |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 793-803 |
| Publication date | 2021-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Trauma Violence & Abuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1524-8380 • E-ISSN: 1552-8324 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1524838019881716 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 39 |
Research has demonstrated that approximately 45–50% of individuals show healthy levels of psychological and physical functioning in the first 12 months post-loss. Homicidal bereavement (loss due to murder or manslaughter) does not appear to follow this pattern. Homicide-related mental health difficulties are a serious problem worldwide, displaying high rates of lifetime incidence, high chronicity, and role impairment. Individuals are at increased risk to develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complicated grief (CG), and depression. Nevertheless, a systematic review specifically on the efficacy of psychological interventions following homicidal loss has not yet been conducted. The current systematic review (registered via PROSPERO) aimed to review the psychological interventions available and report their effectiveness. Of 77 records, 7 met predefined inclusion criteria. Studies presented different methodologies, tested different clinical models, and treatment conditions. Thus, a narrative systematic review was conducted. Studies included manualized interventions to deliver 1:1 and group sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy, restorative retelling, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing were the main models used together with psychoeducational elements about trauma and grief responses. Overall, symptoms of PTSD, CG, and depression decreased significantly postintervention. Sustained improvements were reported for PTSD and depressive symptoms at the follow-up measurements. Mixed results were found regarding how individual (age, gender) and external factors (time since loss, relationship with the deceased) impact on symptom progression. As a result of differences in methodologies, categorization of therapies, methodological differences, and small sample sizes, important questions remain unanswered. Further randomized controlled trials and expert consensus could be considered
Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Therapist Guide
Treatment of complicated grief
Treatment of Complicated Grief
Bereavement and Mental Health after Sudden and Violent Losses
Grief Therapy and the Reconstruction of Meaning
Trauma and bereavement
The Human Capacity to Thrive in the Face of Potential Trauma
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Violent Death
Psychopathology Among Homicidally Bereaved Individuals
Experiences of Covictims of Homicide
Appraising the Evidence
Cognitive–behavioral variables mediate the impact of violent loss on post-loss psychopathology
The toll of traumatic loss in African Americans bereaved by homicide
Group Therapy for Children After Homicide and Violence
Module-based comprehensive approach for addressing heterogeneous mental health sequelae of violent loss survivors
Bereaved Parents' Outcomes 4 to 60 Months After Their Children's Deaths by Accident, Suicide, or Homicide
Restorative Retelling for Violent Loss
Does Grief Counseling Work
Murder and the long-term impact on co-victims
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2026 (6) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |