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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of a bereavement support group as an intervention for depression and anxiety on different demographic groups. A group can provide and share information about how a bereaved person can cope after a loved one's death. Bereavement groups also offer people the opportunity to express powerful emotions that may otherwise be suppressed. Research indicates that support groups can improve a member's frame of mind and decrease psychological distress. It is important in social work to conduct this type of research to provide evidence based practice. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A convenience sample will be taken from a bereavement support group that meets on Thursday evenings. The group consists of adults from a mix of demographic groups. This sample would not be representative of all bereavement support groups; therefore, the researcher will not generalize findings to all support groups. Data collection will occur every two weeks, by phone or in person per respondents’ request. This will include information on assessments and demographic questions. The assessment instruments will be the PHQ-9 (Health Questionnaire) and GAD-7 (General Anxiety Assessment). The PHQ-9 asks 9 questions to rate the quality of your health such as, “How often in the last two weeks have you had trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television?” The GAD-7 asks 7 questions to assess the frequency of your anxiety such as “In the last two weeks how often have you been bothered by worrying too much about different things?” Demographic questions will include; age, income, level of education, race/ethnicity, and sex. Respondents will also be asked what their relationship to the deceased was and the time since their death. Participants will be asked if they are receiving other support services and if any, what and how often they receive them. ANTICIPATED RISKS AND BENEFITS There is minimal risk expected in this study. Some participants may experience slight emotional distress due to the nature of the support group and the questions regarding anxiety and depression. The respondents will be told that they can skip any question they want and may stop at any time. All in all, the benefits outweigh the risks. The participants could receive better support in the future due to the findings of this study. SUBJECT SELECTION A convenience sample will be taken from a bereavement support group that meets every Thursday from 3:30 to 5:30. The group consists of approximately 13-15 adults from various demographics. The facilitator met with participants of the group to introduce them to the idea of the study and asked if anyone would be willing to participate. Facilitator asked for individuals interested in participating to write down their contact information. Individuals may stop participating at any time. The decision to leave the study will not affect your involvement in the support group in any way. CONFIDENTIALITY Confidentiality will be maintained by not using respondents name and instead assigning the participant a number. In addition all the data will remain in a locked cabinet at Heartland Business Plaza with the key code locked in a separate location. PRIMARY SUPPORTING DOCUMENT Click for Word Document