Una revisión narrativa de los enfoques psicoterapéuticos en el abordaje del duelo patológico

Abstract

Grief is a complex clinical condition associated with sustained emotional suffering and difficulties in adapting to the loss of a loved one. Although multiple psychotherapeutic approaches have been developed to address this issue, much of the available literature has prioritized quantitative designs, leaving patients' subjective experiences and the contextual relevance of interventions largely unexplored. This narrative review aimed to analyze qualitative studies exploring psychotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of grief in adults. A search of academic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) was conducted, applying inclusion criteria related to the methodological approach, the adult population, and the presence of psychotherapeutic interventions. Nine relevant studies were identified, covering approaches such as narrative therapy, group therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and culturally sensitive models. The results showed that therapeutic effectiveness is influenced by factors such as the cultural context, the type of loss, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship. It is concluded that addressing pathological grief requires flexible, culturally adapted interventions based on both clinical evidence and an understanding of the mourner's subjective experience