Grief modular group therapy: theoretical bases and pilot study of a new bereavement intervention programme in China

Background: Bereavement is a major life stressor, with millions of Chinese individuals experiencing grief each year. Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent among bereaved people in China, yet culturally appropriate interventions are scarce. Existing Western-based protocols often showed limited cross-cultural applicability when implemented in the Chinese context, highlighting the need for evidence-based, culturally adapted interventions. Objective: This study aimed to introduce and evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed structured Grief Modular Group Therapy (GMGT), designed under the framework of the Dual Process Model and integrating multiple therapeutic elements and culturally relevant practices. Method: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted. Trained therapists delivered a 10-session GMGT protocol to bereaved individuals with prolonged grief symptoms (N = 69). Their outcomes were compared with those of a blank (non-intervention) control group (N = 64). Symptoms of PGD and PTSD were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. GMGT showed high acceptability, with 79.8% of participants completing the programme. Result: Compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in PGD symptom severity to a clinically significant extent (Cohen’s d = 0.85). Improvements were maintained at follow-up (Cohen’s d = 0.86). GMGT also reduced posttraumatic stress symptoms, though with smaller effect sizes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that GMGT is a promising, culturally sensitive, structured, and scalable intervention that could be remotely delivered for bereaved individuals in China, with potential applicability in other cultural contexts facing similar resource limitations in mental health care. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted.