How the Paradoxical Timetable Cure (PTC) Fosters Post-Traumatic Growth and Self-Compassion Among Long-Term Grief Sufferers Following COVID-19 Bereavement

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Paradoxical Timetable Cure (PTC) on post-traumatic growth and self-compassion among long-term grief sufferers following COVID-19 bereavement. Methods and Materials: Employing a pre-test, post-test design with a control group, this study included a two-month follow-up period. Thirty individuals in Kermanshah, identified in 2023 as suffering from prolonged grief disorder (PGD) as per the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (PGD-13-R; Prigerson et al., 2021), were purposively selected based on specific criteria. Subsequently, they were randomly assigned into two equal groups: an experimental group receiving PTC and a control group with no intervention. Data were collected using the Post-Traumatic Growth Questionnaire (PTGQ; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS; Neff et al., 2003). Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate analyses, along with repeated measures ANCOVA, in SPSS version 25. Findings: The analysis revealed that the PTC significantly improved post-traumatic growth (P < 0.001, F = 7.40) and self-compassion (P < 0.001, F = 4.75) among participants coping with long-term grief following COVID-19 bereavement. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that PTC is effective in fostering post-traumatic growth and self-compassion among long-term grief sufferers after COVID-19 bereavement. The efficacy of PTC in enhancing these constructs suggests its value as a therapeutic approach for individuals experiencing prolonged grief due to the pandemic.