{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,14]],"date-time":"2026-03-14T21:33:24Z","timestamp":1773524004913,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1765152000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000654","name":"Marie Curie","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Ref: MC-21-808"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Ref: MC-21-808"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000654","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000654","name":"Marie Curie","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Ref: MC-21-808"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Ref: MC-21-808"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000654","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Grief is a natural process, and many people will adjust in time with support from family and friends. However, evidence suggests that around 40% of bereaved people may benefit from additional assistance, including support from bereavement volunteers. Despite the recognition that bereavement care is a public health priority, availability of bereavement support is inconsistent across the UK and internationally. The continuing expansion of online connectivity offers opportunities to develop digital health interventions to help address the needs of grieving individuals. To improve access to bereavement support, we developed an online intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment therapy-based Training (ACT) \u2018My Grief My Way\u2019 and trained volunteers to provide bereavement support in line with ACT-based principles.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Aim<\/jats:title>\n To describe the views and experiences of bereavement support volunteers who undertook online ACT-based bereavement support training designed to help bereaved individuals cope with grief and improve quality of life.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Design<\/jats:title>\n Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of bereavement support volunteers from two not-for-profit bereavement services in UK. Analysis was guided by the framework approach via NVivo-14.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n A total of 17 participants were recruited; age range 33\u201376 years, female, n\u2009=\u200915 (88%); ethnicity white, n\u2009=\u200917 (100%). Of these, 15 completed ACT-based My Grief My Way training. Nine participants took part in two focus groups (n\u2009=\u20097) or individual interviews (n\u2009=\u20092), Training was perceived positively, with resulting themes and subthemes indicating there was something to suit everyone\u2019s learning preferences. Participants described the benefits of incorporating ACT-based principles and strategies as valuable additional tools to current practice, underlining the model\u2019s relevance, compatibility and practical application, and was viewed as a good fit irrespective of which therapeutic approach they used with clients. Online ACT-based training and the delivery of ACT-based bereavement support was therefore, perceived as a valuable approach in this context.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0337321","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T18:25:21Z","timestamp":1765218321000},"page":"e0337321","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["A qualitative study of bereavement support volunteers\u2019 views and experiences on an online Acceptance and commitment therapy-based (ACT) training programme"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1156-383X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Anne","family":"Canny","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Gillanders","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tamzin","family":"Burnett","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brooke","family":"Swash","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Juliet","family":"Spiller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Harrop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lucy","family":"Selman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Reed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3056-059X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Anne","family":"Finucane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0337321.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-17662-4","volume-title":"The public and private management of grief: recovering normal","author":"C Pearce","year":"2019"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref002","article-title":"Who needs bereavement support? A population based survey of bereavement risk and support need","volume":"10","author":"SM Aoun","year":"2015","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref003","author":"National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)","year":"2004"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0337321.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1177\/0269216315588728","article-title":"Assisting the bereaved: A systematic review of the evidence for grief counselling","volume":"30","author":"A Waller","year":"2016","journal-title":"Palliat Med"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596","volume-title":"Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5","author":"American Psychiatric Association, DMSTF","year":"2013","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref006","unstructured":"GOV.UK. After a death: Bereavement help and support. https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/after-a-death\/bereavement-help-and-support. 2024. Accessed 2024 December 3."},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref007","unstructured":"National Health Service NHS. Grief after bereavement or loss. https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/mental-health\/feelings-symptoms-behaviours\/feelings-and-symptoms\/grief-bereavement-loss\/. 2022. Accessed 2024 December 4."},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0337321.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-2667(24)00030-6","article-title":"Investing in bereavement care as a public health priority","volume":"9","author":"WG Lichtenthal","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref009","unstructured":"Office of the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation ASPE. Overview of bereavement and grief services in the United States. 2024. https:\/\/aspe.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/1ed9790d93a64e9054e0b25b808f0eff\/bereavement-grief-services-report-congress-2023.pdf"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref010","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How right now: Grief. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/howrightnow\/emotion\/grief\/index.html. 2023. Accessed 2025 February 13."},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref011","unstructured":"Services Australia. Death of a loved one: What you need to do when someone dies. https:\/\/www.servicesaustralia.gov.au\/death-loved-one. 2023. Accessed 2025 February 13."},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref012","article-title":"Inequalities in awareness and availability of bereavement services in North-East England","author":"D Wakefield","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMJ Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aoun S, Keegan O, Roberts A, Breen L. The impact of bereavement support on wellbeing: A comparative study between Australia and Ireland. 2020.","DOI":"10.1177\/2632352420935132"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0337321.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1985","DOI":"10.1177\/02692163211043372","article-title":"Support needs and barriers to accessing support: Baseline results of a mixed-methods national survey of people bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"35","author":"E Harrop","year":"2021","journal-title":"Palliat Med"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref015","unstructured":"Health Service NHS. National bereavement care pathway 2025. https:\/\/www.e-lfh.org.uk\/programmes\/national-bereavement-care-pathway\/#:~:text=Available%20to%20all,programme%20from%20the%20View%20button. 2025."},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337321.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1177\/082585979000600102","article-title":"The role of volunteers in alleviating grief","volume":"6","author":"G Di Mola","year":"1990","journal-title":"J Palliat Care"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1628","DOI":"10.1177\/00302228231161816","article-title":"When Death Hits You in Your Face, You Have to Listen\": A Qualitative Investigation of Peer Bereavement Support Volunteers in Black American Communities","volume":"91","author":"L Adams","year":"2025","journal-title":"Omega (Westport)"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0337321.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1080\/02682621.2017.1305052","article-title":"Volunteering in bereavement: motivations and meaning","volume":"36","author":"R Scott","year":"2017","journal-title":"Bereavement Care"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0337321.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1177\/0269216320920533","article-title":"The impacts and effectiveness of support for people bereaved through advanced illness: A systematic review and thematic synthesis","volume":"34","author":"E Harrop","year":"2020","journal-title":"Palliat Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0337321.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"328","DOI":"10.1097\/SPC.0000000000000462","article-title":"What information and resources do carers require pre and post bereavement in the acute hospital setting? A rapid review","volume":"13","author":"B Jackson","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr Opin Support Palliat Care"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0337321.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"869","DOI":"10.1016\/j.beth.2016.11.006","article-title":"Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and the Third Wave of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies - Republished Article","volume":"47","author":"SC Hayes","year":"2016","journal-title":"Behav Ther"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref022","volume-title":"Act made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy","author":"R Harris","year":"2019","edition":"2"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref023","volume-title":"Acceptance and commitment therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change","author":"SC Hayes","year":"2003"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcbs.2020.09.009","article-title":"The empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy: A review of meta-analyses","volume":"18","author":"AT Gloster","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0337321.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1100","DOI":"10.1177\/02692163231183101","article-title":"Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for people with advanced progressive illness, their caregivers and staff involved in their care: A scoping review","volume":"37","author":"T Gibson Watt","year":"2023","journal-title":"Palliat Med"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1177\/0030222817693154","article-title":"Psychological Flexibility and Resilience in Parentally Bereaved College Students","volume":"76","author":"AR Murrell","year":"2018","journal-title":"Omega (Westport)"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0337321.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1080\/07481187.2015.1122677","article-title":"Prediction of individual differences in adjustment to loss: Acceptance and valued-living as critical appraisal and coping strengths","volume":"40","author":"EL Davis","year":"2016","journal-title":"Death Stud"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337321.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1186\/s12904-024-01390-x","article-title":"Practitioner perspectives on the use of acceptance and commitment therapy for bereavement support: a qualitative study","volume":"23","author":"N Willi","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Palliat Care"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1080\/074811899201046","article-title":"The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description","volume":"23","author":"M Stroebe","year":"1999","journal-title":"Death Stud"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref030","volume-title":"Continuing bonds: New understandings of grief","author":"D Klass","year":"1996"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0337321.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1080\/07481180050121480","article-title":"Searching for the meaning of meaning: grief therapy and the process of reconstruction","volume":"24","author":"RA Neimeyer","year":"2000","journal-title":"Death Stud"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1080\/074811899201046","article-title":"The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description","volume":"23","author":"M Stroebe","year":"1999","journal-title":"Death Stud"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0337321.ref033","article-title":"Guidance on how to develop complex interventions to improve health and healthcare","volume":"9","author":"A O\u2019Cathain","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref034","article-title":"A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of medical research council guidance","volume":"374","author":"K Skivington","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337321.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1177\/02692163241285101","article-title":"A rapid review of the evidence for online interventions for bereavement support","volume":"39","author":"A Finucane","year":"2025","journal-title":"Palliat Med"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref036","volume-title":"Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches","author":"J Creswell","year":"2017","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref037","volume-title":"Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers","author":"J Ritchie","year":"2014","edition":"2"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0337321.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042","article-title":"Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups","volume":"19","author":"A Tong","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Qual Health Care"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref039","volume-title":"Social research methods","author":"A Bryman","year":"2012","edition":"4"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref040","volume-title":"Research methods in health: Investigating health and health services","author":"A Bowling","year":"2014","edition":"4"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0337321.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2010.03.001","article-title":"Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health","volume":"30","author":"TB Kashdan","year":"2010","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Rev"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref042","volume-title":"Designing qualitative research","author":"C Marshall","year":"2011","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref043","volume-title":"Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook","author":"MB Miles","year":"1994","edition":"2"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref044","volume-title":"Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers","author":"J Ritchie","year":"2003"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-13-117","article-title":"Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research","volume":"13","author":"NK Gale","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-31646-3","volume-title":"Global perspectives on higher education: From crisis to opportunity","author":"JS Stephen","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12113","DOI":"10.1051\/e3sconf\/202127312113","article-title":"Organization of work of education volunteers online","volume":"273","author":"AS Zelko","year":"2021","journal-title":"E3S Web Conf"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0337321.ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.46328\/ijonse.32","article-title":"Online education: benefits, challenges and strategies during and after COVID-19 in higher education","volume":"3","author":"P Paudel","year":"2020","journal-title":"IJonSE"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref049","article-title":"The Flipped Classroom in Medical Education: Engaging Students to Build Competency","volume":"2","author":"L Hurtubise","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Med Educ Curric Dev"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref050","volume-title":"Motivating and retaining online students: Research-based strategies that work","author":"RM Lehman","year":"2014","edition":"1"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref051","first-page":"185","article-title":"Content design and delivery","volume-title":"Program Evaluation and Records","author":"WJ Rothwell","year":"2020"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337321.ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.1177\/1359105317715091","article-title":"Feasibility randomised controlled trial of a self-help acceptance and commitment therapy intervention for grief and psychological distress in carers of palliative care patients","volume":"25","author":"EL Davis","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Health Psychol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0337321.ref053","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1037\/int0000028","article-title":"Combining Cognitive Therapy with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression: A manualized group therapy.","volume":"26","author":"L Hallis","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Psychotherapy Integration"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337321.ref054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"389","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-024-03044-8","article-title":"Sexual aversion, disgust, and fear of intimacy: a comprehensive case history using a multimodal therapeutic approach","volume":"54","author":"H Thai","year":"2025","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref055","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100759","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcbs.2024.100759","article-title":"Combining acceptance and commitment therapy with adventure therapy to face vulnerability: Examples and insights from a sailing experience","volume":"32","author":"V Donisi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0337321.ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.32598\/irj.21.1.763.3","article-title":"Assessing the effects of acceptance-commitment and psychodrama therapies in nurses with social anxiety disorder","volume":"21","author":"M Kabusi","year":"2023","journal-title":"IRJ"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337321.ref057","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1080\/07481187.2011.591275","article-title":"ATTEND: toward a mindfulness-based bereavement care model","volume":"36","author":"J Cacciatore","year":"2012","journal-title":"Death Stud"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref058","article-title":"P-34 Incorporating mindfulness meditation into a therapeutic bereavement group","volume":"11","author":"L Smith","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0337321.ref059","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"577","DOI":"10.1080\/10615806.2023.2165647","article-title":"Cognitive reappraisal, emotional expression and mindfulness in adaptation to bereavement: a longitudinal study","volume":"36","author":"MC Eisma","year":"2023","journal-title":"Anxiety Stress Coping"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref060","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1891\/9780826134752","volume-title":"Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner","author":"J Worden","year":"2018","edition":"5"},{"key":"pone.0337321.ref061","unstructured":"Office for National Statistics. Exploring the UK\u2019s digital divide. 2021. https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/householdcharacteristics\/homeinternetandsocialmediausage\/articles\/exploringtheuksdigitaldivide\/2019-03-04"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0337321","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]],"date-time":"2025-12-08T18:25:32Z","timestamp":1765218332000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0337321"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"JONATHAN","family":"BAYUO","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]},"references-count":61,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0337321","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,8]]}}}