# A multidimensional approach to assessing six-year trajectories of outcomes of bereaved children, the effects of the FBP to modify trajectories and mediation of effects 15 years later

> **NIH NIH R21** · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · 2024 · $196,250

## Abstract

Abstract
Parental death is one of the most stressful events of childhood and is associated with increased risk for
multiple mental health problems as well as impairments in developmental competencies in childhood and
adulthood. This study uses a secondary data analysis of a 15-year longitudinal study of a randomized trial of
the Family Bereavement Program (FBP) to characterize the developmental trajectories of problems and
competencies of bereaved children over six years; to study the effects of the FBP to reduce problem
trajectories; and to study how changing these trajectories account for FBP effects on mental disorder in young
adulthood 15 years later. The study builds on a major advance in research to assess individual differences in
trajectories of outcomes over time following potentially traumatic events such as bereavement. Multiple studies
using this method have concluded that the great majority of children and adults have low levels of problems
over time and can be considered to be resilient. The current study questions this conclusion which is based on
the assessment of trajectories of single outcomes (a unidimensional approach) and does not consider that
different people may experience problems in different ways following adversity. Recent research with bereaved
adults adapted a multidimensional approach to assess trajectories across five outcomes and found that few
adults (only 8%) had low levels of problems across outcomes. The current study adapt this multidimensional
approach to assess trajectories of grief, mental health problems, competencies and risk and protective factors
over a six year period for bereaved children in a secondary analysis of data from the longitudinal study of the
FBP. This is the first study to apply a multidimensional approach to assess individual trajectories of four
domains of outcomes (grief, mental health problems, developmental competencies and risk and protective
factors) of children following any major adversity. The findings have significant implications for understanding
which bereaved children who could benefit from evidence-based services. The study will apply the
multidimensional approach to assess the effects of the FBP on trajectories of problem and competence
outcomes as well as targeted risk and protective factors over six years. It will also assess the effects of the
FBP to improve the aggregate number of problem trajectories across outcomes. Individuals for whom the FBP
reduces one or more problem trajectories can be considered responders to the program. The study will also
assess how changing trajectories in problems, competencies or risk and protective factors across six years in
childhood and adolescence mediate FBP effects to reduce mental disorder, suicidal ideation/behavior or
mental health service use nine years later when participants are young adults. Findings from these analyses
have action implications to optimize effective dissemination of components of the FBP that target media...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10754970
- **Project number:** 5R21MH127288-02
- **Recipient organization:** ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Irwin N. Sandler
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $196,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-12-16 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10754970

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10754970, A multidimensional approach to assessing six-year trajectories of outcomes of bereaved children, the effects of the FBP to modify trajectories and mediation of effects 15 years later (5R21MH127288-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10754970. Licensed CC0.

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