Implementation of a pilot program for stress management and promotion of health for people experiencing Bereavement. Randomized clinical trial to the general population

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Anastasia Giannaki

University of Athens, Greece

: J Trauma Stress Disor Treat

Abstract

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This randomized clinical trial involves the implementation of an individual stress reduce program to bereaved individuals. The goal was the study of the impact of an 8 session program (Healthy Lifestyle, Diaphragmatic/abdominal Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Cognitive Restructuring, Guided Visualization and Emotional Freedom Technique) in the mental health of those individuals and the descriptive epidemiology of their lifestyle. The randomized sample was divided into two groups; the intervention group (N=30) that implemented stress management scientific techniques, and the control group (N=30) that only had phone contact. The self-reference questionnaires measured stress, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and health locus of control, spirituality, bereavement and the lifestyle of the bereaved individuals. The statistical analysis showed that the stress management program followed by the intervention group managed to substantially change the overall stress, in the health locus of control, stress symptoms, perceived stress, anxiety, depression and bereavement with a particularly high Effect size r>0.7. The stress management program constitutes a comprehensive from a scientific and research point of view- therapeutic model that should be integrated in bereavement management programs. Any future studies should extend these preliminary results, by using a bigger sample and including biomarkers.

Biography

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E-mail: anastgiann@gmail.com