A theory‐based preventive intervention program for bereaved parents whose children have died in accidents

Conflicting theoretical propositions regarding what type of support is most effective at what time during bereavement guided the development and initial testing of a preventive intervention program for bereaved parents. Parents whose adolescent or young adult children died within 4 days following a vehicle‐related accident were assigned to early (2–6 months postloss) or later (7–13 months postloss) transition groups in which they received a two‐dimensinal preventive intervention: informational support and emotional support. A comparison group received no intervention. Weekly and summative evaluations completed by bereaved parents and group leaders showed therapeutic benefits of the preventive intervention for both treated groups. However, the two groups responded differently to the interventions, suggesting that timing and type of support might both be important factors to consider.