Rise & Renew: Supporting Well-Being in Black Women After the Loss of a Loved One

NCT ID: NCT07009795

Last Updated: 2025-12-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-05-20

Study Completion Date

2026-05-19

Brief Summary

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This study is testing a new grief support program called Rise \& Renew (Remembering, Expressing, Navigating, Embracing, Witnessing) designed for Black women ages 40 and older who have experienced the loss of a close loved one, such as a spouse or significant other, parent, or child (including pregnancies). The program includes a weekend wellness retreat followed by 10 weeks of online group support. Participants will be randomly assigned to start weekly virtual sessions right away or after a 10-week delay. The study will help the investigators learn whether the program is helpful, easy to take part in, and meaningful for those who attend. The investigators believe that a culturally tailored program that focuses on healing, wellness, and community will improve emotional health, spiritual well-being, and resilience during the grief process.

Detailed Description

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Rise \& Renew (Remembering, Expressing, Navigating, Embracing, Witnessing) is a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) using a waitlist control design to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a culturally responsive hybrid grief support program for Black women aged 40 and older who have experienced the death of a spouse/significant other, parent, or child (including pregnancies).

This study addresses critical gaps in bereavement support for Black women, who often face intersecting emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs. The Rise \& Renew program is rooted in wellness practices, spiritual care, and culturally grounded healing rituals.

Study Design

After completing the baseline assessment, participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) to one of two groups using a computer-generated randomization sequence:

* Group A (Intervention Group): Will participate in an in-person weekend retreat and begin the 12-week Rise \& Renew virtual support program immediately.
* Group B (Waitlist Control Group): Will attend the same in-person retreat but will delay participation in the 12-week virtual program for 12 weeks.

This staggered model allows researchers to examine short-term changes in well-being and grief outcomes while providing all participants access to the full intervention.

Intervention Description

Rise \& Renew is a 12-week hybrid grief support program designed to affirm the cultural identity, spirituality, and healing traditions of Black women. The program consists of:

* One In-Person Weekend Retreat: Focused on wellness, healing rituals, community building, and expressive arts.
* 10 Weekly Virtual Support Sessions: Co-facilitated by a professional with group facilitation expertise and a Black faith leader. Session themes include:
* Grief and emotional healing
* Spiritual and personal growth
* Financial empowerment
* Self-care and wellness
* Building social support networks

Recruitment and Eligibility The study is open to self-identified Black women aged 40 and older, living in the U.S. South Region, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Recruitment will be conducted via digital outreach, including phone calls, text messages, and a study webpage.

Data Collection

This study uses a mixed-methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data:

* Needs Assessment Survey: Conducted before the retreat to gather information on participants' unique needs and expectations, allowing facilitators to tailor the program accordingly.
* Baseline: Participants will complete a pre-intervention survey in Qualtrics assessing grief, stress, depression, physical wellness (including self-reported blood pressure and weight), social support, and financial resilience.
* Post-Intervention: Surveys and optional focus groups/interviews will assess perceived benefits, changes in well-being, and overall program satisfaction.

All participants will be invited to join Part 2 (10-week support group) after the retreat, regardless of initial group assignment. Participation is voluntary, and no compensation will be provided.

Conditions

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Bereavement Grief Psychological Distress Well Being

Keywords

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Bereavement Faith-Based Support Community-Based Intervention Wellness African American Women Spirituality Psychosocial Support Systems Mental Health Intervention Holistic Healing

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants are randomly assigned to one of two different groups:

* Immediate Virtual Group Support: Starts the 10-week virtual program within 10 days of completing the retreat.
* Delayed Virtual Group Support: Delays the start of the 10-week virtual program by 10 weeks.

These two groups run in parallel, with both participating in the wellness retreat weekend, followed by different timelines for receiving the 10-week virtual support group part of the intervention.
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Immediate Virtual Group Support

Receives the in-person wellness retreat and begins the 10-week virtual support phase the following weekend.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Rise \& Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program is a culturally responsive, multi-component behavioral intervention designed specifically for Black women aged 40 and older who have experienced the loss of a spouse, parent, or child. It integrates wellness practices, grief support, spiritual care, and community healing in a hybrid format that includes both an in-person and virtual component.

This intervention is distinguished by its cultural tailoring for middle-aged and older Black women, co-facilitation by both a trained facilitator and a faith-based leader, and its combination of expressive arts, spiritual guidance, and practical wellness strategies delivered in a hybrid format. It addresses grief holistically through emotional, physical, spiritual, and social dimensions, and emphasizes culturally relevant healing practices often overlooked in conventional grief programs.

Delayed Virtual Group Support

Attends the same in-person wellness retreat but does not begin the 10-week virtual support program until after a 10-week delay.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program

The Rise \& Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program is a culturally responsive, multi-component behavioral intervention designed specifically for Black women aged 40 and older who have experienced the loss of a spouse, parent, or child. It integrates wellness practices, grief support, spiritual care, and community healing in a hybrid format that includes both an in-person and virtual component.

This intervention is distinguished by its cultural tailoring for middle-aged and older Black women, co-facilitation by both a trained facilitator and a faith-based leader, and its combination of expressive arts, spiritual guidance, and practical wellness strategies delivered in a hybrid format. It addresses grief holistically through emotional, physical, spiritual, and social dimensions, and emphasizes culturally relevant healing practices often overlooked in conventional grief programs.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Self-identifies as a Black or African American woman
* Aged 40 years or older at the time of enrollment
* Has experienced the death of a spouse, parent, or child (first-order bereavement)
* Resides in the U.S. South Region, including: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, or West Virginia
* Has access to a reliable internet connection and a device capable of running Zoom
* Is able to attend a 2-day in-person retreat in the Stone Mountain, GA area
* Is able and willing to participate in 10 weekly virtual group sessions
* Provides informed consent to participate in the study
* Agrees to complete pre- and post-intervention surveys

Exclusion Criteria

* Has not experienced the death of a spouse, parent, or child
* Under the age of 40 at the time of enrollment
* Does not reside in the U.S. South Region
* Unable to attend the in-person retreat in Stone Mountain, GA
* Unwilling or unable to participate in weekly Zoom sessions
* Does not have access to the necessary technology for virtual sessions
* Does not provide informed consent
* Currently receiving intensive psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment that would conflict with participation
* Any condition or circumstance that, in the opinion of the investigators, may compromise the participant's ability to safely engage in the group setting
Minimum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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The Good Stewards Partnership

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Lillian Haley, PhD

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Lillian Haley, PhD

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Serenity Haven

Lithonia, Georgia, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Jones, M. K., Davis, S. M., & Gaskin-Cole, G. (2023). An integrative review of sistah circles in empirical research. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 47(2), 159-179.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Neal-Barnett A, Stadulis R, Murray M, Payne MR, Thomas A, Salley BB. Sister Circles as a Culturally Relevant Intervention for Anxious African American Women. Clin Psychol (New York). 2011 Sep;18(3):266-273. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2850.2011.01258.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22081747 (View on PubMed)

Jones, M. K., Gaskin-Cole, G., & Reynolds, A. (2023). Masks off: A community-based psychoeducational group intervention with Black women. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 48(3), 212-228.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

DiGuiseppi G, Rodriguez A, Qureshi N, Zeng C, Coulter ID, Hays RD, Herman PM, Edelen MO. Measuring Whole Person Health: A Scoping Review. J Integr Complement Med. 2025 Aug;31(8):684-704. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2024.0817. Epub 2025 Apr 3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 40180567 (View on PubMed)

Brown M, Glendenning A, Hoon AE, John A. Effectiveness of Web-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Relation to Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2016 Aug 24;18(8):e221. doi: 10.2196/jmir.6200.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27558740 (View on PubMed)

Arnold KT, Mandell DS, Hankerson SH. Implementing a Grief Support Program in a Black Church to Support the Mental Health Needs of People in Bereavement. Psychiatr Serv. 2025 Jan 1;76(1):105. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20240259. Epub 2024 Oct 23. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39439280 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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RN052025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id