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BereavementRENEWNCT07009795

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

A study testing Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program in people with Bereavement and Grief, run by Lillian Haley, PhD at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

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). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 40 years and older, women only
Conditions the study is for
Bereavement, Grief, Psychological Distress
What is being tested?
Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
20 May 2025to 19 May 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 40 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • 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
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  • 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

Who cannot join

  • 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
Show all 9Show fewer
  • 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

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

  • Serenity Haven

    Lithonia, Georgia, 30058

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Rise & Renew (Remembering, Expressing, Navigating, Embracing, Witnessing): Enhancing Well-being Among Black Women Who've Experienced a First-order Bereavement Event

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.

Read the detailed description

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.

Being tested
Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program
Keywords
Bereavement, Faith-Based Support, Community-Based Intervention, Wellness, African American Women, Spirituality, Psychosocial Support Systems, Mental Health Intervention, Holistic Healing

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support ProgramBehavioural

    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.

Study groups in NCT07009795
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Immediate Virtual Group SupportExperimentalReceives the in-person wellness retreat and begins the 10-week virtual support phase the following weekend.
Receives: Behavioral: Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program
Delayed Virtual Group SupportNo interventionAttends the same in-person wellness retreat but does not begin the 10-week virtual support program until after a 10-week delay.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM)

    The 4-item Feasibility of Intervention Measure was developed for evaluating the success of feasibility, demonstrating encouraging psychometric properties. The items that are scored on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 indicates "completely disagree," and 4 indicates "completely agree". Thus, the range for each scale extends from 0 - 16, with higher scores indicating higher feasibility.

    Measured: From baseline to the end of the 10-week support group intervention

  2. Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)

    The 4-item Acceptability of Intervention Measure was developed for evaluating the success of acceptability, demonstrating encouraging psychometric properties. The items are scored on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 indicates "completely disagree," and 4 indicates "completely agree". Thus, the range for each scale extends from 0 - 16, with higher scores indicating higher acceptability.

    Measured: FroFrom baseline to the end of the 10-week support group intervention

  3. Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM)

    The 4-item Acceptability of Intervention Measure was developed for measuring the perceived fit, relevance, or compatibility of the innovation or evidence-based practice for a given practice setting, provider, or consumer, and/or perceived fit of the innovation to address a particular issue or problem. The items are scored on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 indicates "completely disagree," and 4 indicates "completely agree". Thus, the range for each scale extends from 0 - 16, with higher scores indicating higher appropriateness.

    Measured: From baseline to the end of the 10-week support group intervention

Secondary outcomes (6)

  1. Change from Baseline in Coping Strategies Measured by the Brief COPE at Week 10

    The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE) is a 28-item self-report questionnaire used to assess a person's coping strategies in response to stress. The Brief COPE includes 14 subscales, each with 2 items, scored on a 4-point Likert scale with scores ranging from 0 to 3. Whether higher scores are better or worse depends on the subscale being interpreted.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10 (end of intervention)

  2. Change from Baseline in Religious Coping Strategies Measured by the Brief RCOPE at Week 10

    The Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE) is designed to assess the extent to which individuals use religious coping in response to stress. The 14 items measure both positive and negative forms of religious coping. Items are on a 4-point Likert scale that ranges from 1 to 4. Higher PRC scores indicate greater use of positive religious coping. Higher NRC scores indicate greater use of negative religious coping.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10

  3. Change from Baseline in Depression Symptoms Measured by the PHQ-8 at Week 10

    The Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) is an 8-item self-report measure of depression symptoms. Items are on a 4-point Likert scale that ranges from 0 to 3. Total scores range from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicate worse outcomes, i.e., more severe depressive symptoms.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10

  4. Change from Baseline in Perceived Social Support Measured by the MSPSS at Week 10

    The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) measures improvement in perceived support from family, friends, and community. 12 items total, each rated on a 7-point Likert scale from 1 to 7. Higher scores indicate greater perceived social support.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10

  5. Change from Baseline in Posttraumatic Growth Measured by the PTGI at Week 10

    The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) assesses positive psychological changes experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances or trauma. 21 items. Each item is scored using a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate greater perceived posttraumatic growth.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10

  6. Change from Baseline in Perceived Social Support Measured by the SCSSS at Week 10

    The Spiritual Connectedness Subscale of the Spirituality Scale (SCSSS) assesses a person's perceived connection with the sacred, divine, or transcendent. 5 items total, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 to 5. Higher scores reflect greater spiritual connectedness.

    Measured: From baseline (Week 0) to Week 10

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted8 Jun 2025
  2. Study start20 May 2025
  3. Primary completion19 May 2026
  4. Study completion19 May 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
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.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
30 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07009795
Sponsor's protocol ID
RN052025
Acronym
RENEW
Status last verified
Dec 2025
First submitted
20 May 2025
Last updated
2 Jul 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: At this time, individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to the sensitive nature of grief-related experiences and the small sample size, which increases the risk of deductive disclosure even after de-identification. The study population-middle-aged Black women who have experienced the loss of a close loved one-represents a highly specific and vulnerable group. To protect participant confidentiality and respect the culturally sensitive context of the study, data sharing is not planned.

Publications

  • 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.

  • 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.

    PubMed 22081747

  • 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.

  • 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.

    PubMed 40180567

  • 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.

    PubMed 27558740

  • 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.

    PubMed 39439280

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Rise & Renew Hybrid Grief Support Program in people with Bereavement and Grief, run by Lillian Haley, PhD at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) (time frame: From baseline to the end of the 10-week support group intervention). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07009795, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.

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