Abstract
This meta-analysis addressed the question of how effective grief therapy is and for whom, using B. J. Becker's (1988) techniques for analyzing standardized mean-change scores. Analyses were based on 35 studies (N = 2,284), with a weighted mean effect size (ES) of Δ + = 0.43 (95% confidence interval = 0.33 to 0.52). Clients in no-treatment control groups showed little improvement (d + = 0.06), possibly because of the relatively long delay between loss and treatment in most studies (mean delay = 27 months). Moderators of treatment efficacy included time since loss and relationship to the deceased. Client selection procedures, a methodological factor not originally coded in this meta-analysis, appeared to contribute strongly to variability in ESs: A small number of studies involving self-selected clients produced relatively large ESs, whereas the majority of studies involving clients recruited by the investigators produced ESs in the small to moderate range.
Keywords
Meta-analysisPsychologyGriefStrictly standardized mean differenceComplicated griefConfidence intervalClinical psychologyPsychotherapistInternal medicineMedicine
Affiliated Institutions
Related Publications
Meta-analytic interval estimation for standardized and unstandardized mean differences.
The fixed-effects (FE) meta-analytic confidence intervals for unstandardized and standardized mean differences are based on an unrealistic assumption of effect-size homogeneity ...
Treatment-effect estimates adjusted for small-study effects via a limit meta-analysis
Statistical heterogeneity and small-study effects are 2 major issues affecting the validity of meta-analysis. In this article, we introduce the concept of a limit meta-analysis,...
Meta-analysis of the relationship between asymptomatic bacteriuria and preterm delivery/low birth weight.
The relationship between asymptomatic bacteriuria and prematurity/low birth weight (LBW) is still a controversial issue, despite many studies. Meta-analysis, a research tool des...
Mortality due to cancer treatment delay: systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract Objective To quantify the association of cancer treatment delay and mortality for each four week increase in delay to inform cancer treatment pathways. Design Systemati...
Dose-response associations between accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time and all cause mortality: systematic review and harmonised meta-analysis
Abstract Objective To examine the dose-response associations between accelerometer assessed total physical activity, different intensities of physical activity, and sedentary ti...
Publication Info
- Year
- 1999
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 370-380
- Citations
- 179
- Access
- Closed
External Links
Social Impact
Altmetric
PlumX Metrics
Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions
Citation Metrics
179
OpenAlex
18
Influential
119
CrossRef
Cite This
Denise Litterer Allumbaugh,
William T. Hoyt
(1999).
Effectiveness of grief therapy: A meta-analysis..
Journal of Counseling Psychology
, 46
(3)
, 370-380.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.46.3.370
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037/0022-0167.46.3.370