Effectiveness of Grief Camps in Supporting Bereaved Individuals: A Systematic Review.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review examined whether grief camps support bereaved individuals’ grief and psychosocial functioning. Following PRISMA guidance, the authors searched six databases and included 31 studies published between 1991 and 2022. Narrative synthesis indicated a positive impact of camps on grief and psychosocial functioning, while participant feedback suggested the intervention was acceptable. The abstract does not report a pooled effect estimate or quantitative measure of benefit, so the findings describe the direction of results rather than the magnitude of any effect.

Key findings

• The review included 31 studies published between 1991 and 2022.
• Narrative synthesis indicated positive effects of grief camps on grief and psychosocial functioning.
• Participant feedback suggested grief camps were an acceptable intervention.

Why it matters

Bereavement can affect mental health and social functioning, and this review suggests that grief camps may offer an acceptable form of support with potential benefits across these domains. The findings provide an overview of the available evidence, while the absence of a reported pooled estimate means the size and consistency of benefit cannot be determined from the abstract.

What to keep in mind

The review used narrative synthesis and reports no pooled effect estimate; the abstract also calls for further research across locations and age groups.