A recent study indicates that a new app can assist parents coping with the loss of a child. Parents who utilized the app for three months reported experiencing less prolonged grief and post-traumatic stress, along with a decrease in negative thoughts. Some parents expressed that the app should be made accessible earlier in the grieving process. This finding is highlighted in a new study from Uppsala University, which has been published in the journal Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
When a loved one passes away, family members may initially struggle to grasp the reality of the situation, often believing it is somehow unreal and hard to accept that their loved one will not return. For many, the intense stages of grief tend to lessen over time, allowing them to accept their feelings, live positively, and look toward the future. However, a minority may find themselves trapped in what is known as ‘prolonged grief.’
“They might keep their child’s room unchanged or visit the grave frequently, even years after the loss. This turns into a ritual or obligation that they feel unable to break free from. Our investigation aimed to see if the app could ease the symptoms related to prolonged grief, as well as depression and post-traumatic stress. We also looked into whether harmful behavior patterns such as rumination and avoidance could be improved through this method,” explains Josefin Sveen, a Professor of Clinical Psychology and the primary author of the study.
Various apps grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy exist to help individuals deal with different mental health challenges. A shared characteristic of these applications is their aim to normalise the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are typically experienced in the situations they address.
Inspired by a previous self-help app
In her earlier research involving the PTSD Coach app—designed for those dealing with PTSD—Sveen discovered a significant gap in support for parents grieving the death of a child. This realisation led her to conceive the development of a new app with hopes of providing assistance. Initially focused on parents who lost children to cancer, the scope was later broadened to include those who lost children for various reasons.
The study included 248 parents, 80% of whom were mothers. Each had experienced the loss of a child within the last decade. Nearly half of the children had succumbed to cancer, with an average age of 11 at the time of passing. Participation was entirely voluntary. Participants were recruited through letters and social media platforms affiliated with the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund and Spädbarnsfonden (the Swedish Infant Death Foundation), both of which contributed funding for the study. Half of the parents were granted access to the app, while the other half had to wait three months for their chance to use it.
“Grief meter”
The app consists of four main features. First, it provides education about grief and prolonged grief and teaches users how to accept their feelings. Second, it offers guidance on finding support among friends, family, or colleagues, along with readily available contact information for support organizations. Third, it includes practical exercises and strategies, such as relaxation techniques and opportunities to express feelings through writing. One such exercise involves composing a letter to the deceased child. Users are also encouraged to visit places they have been avoiding or to look at photos of their child.
The fourth feature is a ‘grief meter,’ allowing users to rate their grief and note its intensity at various times throughout the day.
“Many of the participants found this particularly beneficial. They appreciated being able to observe how their grief fluctuated day by day, noticing specific times when it felt heavier, yet also times when they could feel okay,” Sveen shares. She adds:
“I am pleased that we have successfully created an app that parents feel is beneficial. The feedback indicated that they valued the variety of resources available within the app—having different forms of support consolidated in one place proved to be especially useful. The self-assessments they conducted about their well-being demonstrated a decrease in symptoms of prolonged grief attributed to the app. Some parents believed that the app should be introduced earlier in the grieving process.”
The next focus: young people
The findings suggest that the app can serve as an initial resource for educating users about grief and offering strategies for managing its challenges. Future plans include following up on this study in a year and conducting similar research aimed at creating an app for young people who have lost a parent or sibling.
