Complicated Grief Therapy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The advent of specialized grief treatments has led to the novel intervention of Complicated Grief Therapy (CGT) to treat maladaptive rumination and counterfactual thinking related to Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). This study reviewed the treatment modality and highlighted the benefits of CGT for adults afflicted by grief who lost their loved ones to COVID-19 by analysing the main studies published in selected databases for the last four years since COVID-19. Relevant publications were identified via electronic searches of two main databases Web of Science and SCOPUS along with five supporting databases according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A total of 147 articles, 57 from PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and Pubmed and 90 from Web of Science and SCOPUS, were included. The seven studies that met the criteria showed that CGT is an effective measure to cope with complicated grief during the pandemic. In conclusion, this study contributes by expanding our understanding of CGT and highlighting the benefits. This study provides an effective treatment solution and healing for people afflicted with grief and may serve as a novel treatment for the family members during the pandemic.