Abstract
Abstract
Background
: Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a debilitating condition that significantly impairs the well-being and functioning of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) due to compounded disruptions. Integrated group therapy approaches have shown promise in addressing complex grief reactions, yet their effectiveness remains understudied.
Objective
: This study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated group therapy in alleviating prolonged grief and depression symptoms among IDPs at the Shimalacko IDP Center in Northwest Ethiopia.
Method
: A nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was employed. Participants were divided into treatment and control groups. Pretest and posttest assessments measured changes in grief symptoms using the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (PG-13-R) and the Beck Depression Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, and one way ANOVA, Cohen’s d was used to measure effect size.
Result
: A total of 352 participants (128 male and 224 female) reported various losses, with 9.4% developing prolonged grief symptoms. Over 13% reported symptoms of severe depression. While no significant mean difference was found between male and female participants, One way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences among demographic variables, including marital status, educational background, and age category (pd
= 1.49), indicating the intervention's effectiveness and substantial differences between experimental and control groups.
Conclusion
This study underscores the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions for internally displaced individuals experiencing prolonged grief. It is crucial for policymakers and humanitarian organizations to integrate grief-focused interventions into care for internally displaced communities to enhance psychological well-being and foster resilience in the face of loss.