Families Left Behind: Addressing Prolonged Grief and Substance Use Disorders Among People Bereaved by Drug Overdose Deaths

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to help people who have lost a loved one to an accidental drug overdose, focusing on the unique and intense grief they experience. These individuals often face feelings like guilt, shame, and blame, which can make their grief harder and stop them from seeking support. The study is part of a larger effort to address the opioid crisis by improving grief support for those affected, especially since this group is at higher risk for prolonged grief disorder, substance use problems, PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Participants will be divided randomly into two groups. One group will be paired with a peer grief support specialist who follows the RIVER model developed by Peer Community Support Partners. They will also get a booklet with information about grief and a list of local support resources. The other group will receive just the booklet and resource list, which is considered enhanced usual care. The study will compare these two approaches to see how well the RIVER peer support helps. People in the study will be assessed at the start and then again at 3, 6, and 12 months. Researchers will measure grief symptoms, how participants cope and accept their loss, their feelings of connection, avoidance of grief reminders, substance use, depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and physical pain. The study seeks to understand how these supports impact participants over time and improve their wellbeing after overdose loss.

Families Left Behind