The effectiveness of existential group therapy on empathy, communication skills, and rumination in long bereavement patients

Abstract

Individuals experiencing prolonged grief often face issues such as a lack of empathy for others, decreased interpersonal communication, and increased rumination. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of existential group therapy on empathy, communication skills, and rumination in long bereavement patients. The research utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up, including a control group. The population consisted of all patients suffering from prolonged grief in the city of Boukan in 2022. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and placed into a single group. Initially, questionnaires assessing empathy, communication skills, and rumination were distributed among the group (pre-test). Subsequently, the group underwent existential group therapy interventions, meeting once a week for 2 hours over 8 weeks. After the sessions, a post-test was administered to the group, followed by a follow-up three months later. Data was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. The results indicated significant differences between the control and experimental groups in the post-test scores related to empathy, communication skills, and rumination (p<0.05). Thus, the intervention of existential group therapy was found to be effective in improving empathy, and communication skills, and reducing rumination in individuals experiencing prolonged grief.