Finding Meaning After Losing a Child to Cancer
Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy for Parents Bereaved by Cancer: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial
This project offers a special type of grief support called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy to parents who have lost a child to cancer, helping them cope with their profound loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11119027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Losing a child to cancer is an incredibly difficult experience, and many bereaved parents struggle with prolonged grief, depression, and a reduced quality of life. This project aims to provide accessible and effective support by testing a new approach called Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT). We want to see if MCGT can help parents find new meaning in their lives after loss, which may improve their well-being. This therapy is compared to standard supportive psychotherapy to understand which approach offers the most help.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are parents who have experienced the loss of a child to cancer and are seeking support for their grief.
Not a fit: Patients who have not experienced the loss of a child to cancer would not be suitable for this specific grief therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could offer a new, effective way for parents to navigate the intense grief of losing a child to cancer, improving their mental and physical health.
How similar studies have performed: A pilot randomized controlled trial has shown that Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy outperformed standard supportive psychotherapy for parents with higher baseline grief levels.
Where this research is happening
Coral Gables, United States
- University of Miami School of Medicine — Coral Gables, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lichtenthal, Wendy G. — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lichtenthal, Wendy G.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.