Table 1.

The structure of the phone-based psychological intervention for COVID-19 bereaved families.

Phases	Objectives and strategies	Skills and techniques
Opening	Check the respondent's identity, introduction with name and role (i.e., psychologist employed in the hospital), consent to proceed	Accurate presentation Use of verbal formulas to show caution Attention to the respondent's tone of voice to fine tune the intervention Question to check the willingness of the relative to proceed in the call
Proactive offer	Reason of the call: offer a free space to talk	Clear focus on the reason of the call Use of pauses
Active listening	Active listening of family member experiences, thoughts and emotions	Attentive silence Use of para-verbal signals to facilitate the spontaneous communication flow
Assessment	Assessing psycho-emotional needs, psycho-social resources and risk factors	Open- and close-ended focused screening questions
Need-based psychological actions	Information giving, education on stages of grief, emotional validation, small therapeutic actions like cognitive reframing and relaxation pills	Various, ranging from portioning, organizing and prioritizing education and information based on respondent's needs to supportive statements and reframing arguments under new angles
Referral and connection	Indications about the resources offered by the hospital and the community-based services, eventual referral to further psychological support	Give information in small bits Check the family member's understanding
Closure	Say goodbye	Use of tone of voice and verbal formulas to emphasize closeness/warmness