Researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Isfahan in Iran tested the efficacy of the “Writing for Recovery" group intervention for 12-18 year old Afghani refugees, suffering from traumatic bereavement. The program was developed by The Children and War Foundation.

Eighty-eight war bereaved Afghani refugees were screened using the Traumatic Grief Inventory for Children (TGIC). From those with the highest total score, 61 were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 29) or control group (n = 32). The experimental group received six sessions of group training on 3 consecutive days in their school.

The difference in TGIC scores between the experimental group in pretest and posttest was significant (p = 0.001). Results of analysis of covariance also showed a significant effect of Writing for Recovery on the experimental group (p < 0.001).

The investigators conclude that "Writing for Recovery" is an effective group intervention for bereaved children and adolescents after disasters.

Citation:  Kalantari M, Yule W, Dyregrov A, Neshatdoost H, Ahmadi SJ. Efficacy of writing for recovery on traumatic grief symptoms of Afghani refugee bereaved adolescents: a randomized control trial. Omega (Westport). 2012;65 (2): pages 139-50. [email protected]/