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Background <p>Disruption and restoration of the self are theorized to be central to bereavement adjustment, yet previous interventions rarely address self-disruption directly. This study examined whether an online expressive writing intervention targeting self-disruption could alleviate grief symptoms in bereaved adults.</p> Methods <p>In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, 66 bereaved participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (<i>n</i> = 35) or a waitlist control group (<i>n</i> = 31). The intervention consisted of six sessions (one psychoeducational session and five structured expressive writing sessions) over three weeks, focusing on four aspects of self-disruption, namely: Loss of Self-Direction, Self-Derailment, Self-Devaluation, and Disconnection of Relational-Self. Grief severity was assessed using the PG-13-R at baseline and post-intervention, with a six-month follow-up for the intervention group.</p> Results <p>Compared with the waitlist control group, the intervention group showed a significantly greater reduction in grief severity (Cohen’s <i>d</i> = − 0.93). Within the intervention group, the improvement remained stable at the six-month follow-up.</p> Conclusion <p>Online expressive writing targeting self-disruption in bereaved adults may provide an effective, low-cost, and scalable intervention for grief. However, in the absence of a validated measure of self-disruption, whether the intervention exerts its effects through changes in the self remains untested.</p> Trial registration <p>This trial was retrospectively registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number ChiCTR2600120661, Date 18.03.2026).</p>

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Writing about the disrupted self: a randomized controlled trial of a structured online expressive writing intervention for bereaved Chinese adults

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月1日

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  • Junlong Zheng,
  • Dongpeng Yao,
  • Jie Li

摘要

Background

Disruption and restoration of the self are theorized to be central to bereavement adjustment, yet previous interventions rarely address self-disruption directly. This study examined whether an online expressive writing intervention targeting self-disruption could alleviate grief symptoms in bereaved adults.

Methods

In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, 66 bereaved participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 35) or a waitlist control group (n = 31). The intervention consisted of six sessions (one psychoeducational session and five structured expressive writing sessions) over three weeks, focusing on four aspects of self-disruption, namely: Loss of Self-Direction, Self-Derailment, Self-Devaluation, and Disconnection of Relational-Self. Grief severity was assessed using the PG-13-R at baseline and post-intervention, with a six-month follow-up for the intervention group.

Results

Compared with the waitlist control group, the intervention group showed a significantly greater reduction in grief severity (Cohen’s d = − 0.93). Within the intervention group, the improvement remained stable at the six-month follow-up.

Conclusion

Online expressive writing targeting self-disruption in bereaved adults may provide an effective, low-cost, and scalable intervention for grief. However, in the absence of a validated measure of self-disruption, whether the intervention exerts its effects through changes in the self remains untested.

Trial registration

This trial was retrospectively registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number ChiCTR2600120661, Date 18.03.2026).