Evidenced-based psychotherapies are not well researched for palliative care patients experiencing unrelenting anxiety about dying, even less research is focused on young adult palliative care patients with death anxiety. The aim of this study is to provide preliminary data regarding potential clients' perceptions of using evidenced based treatments with dying populations who are experiencing death anxiety.

104 college students were used as potential clients and randomly assigned to watch either a short video of a cognitive therapy (CT) session or of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) session focused on treating a young adult diagnosed with an acute lymphoid leukemia expressing death anxiety. After watching the video, potential clients rated the session impact of the therapy approach using the Session Evaluation Questionnaire.

No differences in ratings of session impact were found between potential clients who viewed the CT session and the ACT session. In regards to potential clients' views of session impact variables, their view of session smoothness was positively related to their post-session positivity, but inversely related to their view of session depth. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between potential clients' views of the therapist and session depth.

This preliminary study suggests that palliative care patients expressing death anxiety may benefit from either ACT or CT for death anxiety, however, future research is needed to explore the usefulness of each approach. Findings of this study support the theory that ACT and CT are viewed to have a similar session impact in the palliative care population.

Survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have experienced a life threatening and potentially traumatic illness and treatment that make them vulnerable to long lasting negative psychological outcomes, including anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, studies show that overcoming cancer and its treatment can present an opportunity for personal growth and psychological health (reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and high levels of emotional well-being) through resilience. However, research has not yet clarified what differentiates HSCT survivors who experience psychological growth from those who do not. By analyzing recovery narratives, we examined whether HSCT survivors’ interpretation of their experiences helps explain differences in their post-treatment psychological health.

Guided by narrative psychology theory, we analyzed the narratives of 23 HSCT survivors writing about their experience of cancer treatment. Psychological health was measured by: (1) emotional well-being subscale part of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT), (2) depression, and (3) anxiety subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory.

Findings revealed a positive relation between psychological health and a greater number of redemption episodes (going from an emotionally negative life event to an emotionally positive one) as well as fewer negative emotional expressions.

Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, showing how narratives can inform interventions to assist cancer survivors with their psychological recovery.

This study sought to better understand the patient s perspective of the experience of recovery from cancer that appeared to defy medical prognoses.

Fourteen cases of medically verified exceptional outcomes were identified. A qualitative approach, employing long narrative interviews was used. Data was analyzed using a cross case thematic analytic approach.

The major overarching theme was connections, both internal and external. Internal included connections with God or a higher power and with oneself. The external connections, the focus of this paper, included 1) personal connections with friends and family, 2) connections with the medical system: the physician, nurses and other staff, and 3) connections with other patients. They described the nature of these relationships and the importance of frequent contact with family and friends as providing significant emotional and instrumental support. They expressed confidence in receiving care from a reputable clinic, and with very little probing illustrated the importance of the relationship with their providers. They articulated the significance of the compassionate qualities of the physician and identified communication attributes of their physician that were important in establishing this connection. These attributes were demeanor, availability, honesty, sensitivity in the decision making process. They provided examples of positive connections with nurses and other staff as well as with other patients through their illness process.

The importance of connections in these illness narratives was richly illustrated. These issues often are overlooked in clinical settings; yet they are of crucial importance to the health and well-being of the patients.

Experiencing cancer can give rise to existential concerns causing great distress, and consequently drive individuals to make sense of what cancer may mean to their lives. To date, meaning-based research in the context of cancer has largely focused on one possible outcome of this process, the emergence of positive meanings (e.g. post-traumatic growth). However, negative meanings may also be ascribed to cancer, simultaneously with positive meanings. This study focused on the nature of the co-existence of positive and negative meanings in a sample of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer to find out whether negative meaning had an impact on quality of life and psychosocial adjustment above and beyond positive meaning.

Participants were given questionnaires measuring meaning-made, quality of life, and psychological distress. Semi structured interviews were conducted with a subgroup from the original sample.

Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that negative meaning-made (i.e. helplessness) was a significant predictor of poor quality of life and increased levels of depression/anxiety above and beyond positive meaning-made (i.e. life meaningfulness, acceptance, and perceived benefits). Correlational analyses and interview data revealed that negative meaning-made was mainly associated with physical and functional disability, while positive meaning-made was mostly related to emotional and psychological well-being.

Meanings of varying valence may simultaneously be ascribed to cancer as it impacts different life dimensions, and they may independently influence quality of life and psychosocial adjustment. The presence of positive meaning was not enough to prevent the detrimental effects of negative meaning on psychosocial adjustment and quality of life among individuals taking part in this study. Future attention to negative meaning is warranted, as it may be at least as important as positive meaning in predicting psychosocial adjustment and quality of life following a cancer diagnosis.

To compare the experiences of women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in computer-mediated and face-to-face support groups.

Interviews from 18 women with MBC, who were currently in computer-mediated support groups (CMSGs), were examined using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The CMSGs were in an asynchronous mailing list format; women communicated exclusively via email. All the women were also, or had previously been, in a face-to-face support group (FTFG).

CMSGs had both advantages and drawbacks, relative to face-to-face groups (FTFGs), for this population. Themes examined included convenience, level of support, intimacy, ease of expression, range of information, and dealing with debilitation and dying. CMSGs may provide a sense of control and a greater level of support. Intimacy may take longer to develop in a CMSG, but women may have more opportunities to get to know each other. CMSGs may be helpful while adjusting to a diagnosis of MBC, because women can receive support without being overwhelmed by physical evidence of disability in others or exposure to discussions about dying before they are ready. However, the absence of nonverbal cues in CMSGs also led to avoidance of topics related to death and dying when women were ready to face them. Agendas for discussion, the presence of a facilitator or more time in CMSGs may attenuate this problem.

The findings were discussed in light of prevailing research and theories about computer-mediated communication. They have implications for designing CMSGs for this population.

The aim of this project was to study prolonged grievers psychosocial processes and experience during participation in a group intervention and 6–8 weeks after discontinuation. The intervention in this study was a group therapy with the aim of getting in contact with their pain and loss and confronting and working with this loss.

Data was collected by using diaries and tape-recorded interviews, analyzed with grounded theory. The participants were 11 females between the ages of 33 and 71.

The main process that was found in the qualitative data was: Ambivalence when struggling and learning through work and rest towards a balance. Sub-processes were: To share and be confirmed in the group through sense of cohesion; To dare/venture to discover problems and solutions; To react when you get emotionally involved, and to compare and discover.

This study gives insight into prolonged grievers' thinking, which is valuable knowledge. Rather than assuming that all individuals suffering from prolonged grief need the same treatment, we suggest that there should be a range of different therapies.

Research on the experiences, coping mechanisms, and impact of death and dying on the lives of palliative medicine specialists is limited. Most research focuses on the multidisciplinary team or on nurses who work with the dying. Fewer studies consider medical professionals trained in palliative medicine. This study aimed to explore the experiences, coping mechanisms, and impact of death and dying on palliative medicine specialists when dealing with their patients at the end of life.

A qualitative research approach guided the study, one-on-one interview data were analyzed thematically. A purposeful sampling technique was employed for participant recruitment. Seven palliative medicine specialists practicing in one city participated in open-ended, in-depth interviews.

The analysis of participants' accounts identified three distinct themes. These were Being with the dying, Being affected by death, and dying and Adjusting to the impact of death and dying.

This study further contributes to the understanding of the impact of death and dying on professionals who care for dying patients and their families. Despite the stressors and the potential for burnout and compassion fatigue, these participants employed strategies that enhanced meaning-making and emphasized the rewards of their work. However, the consequences of work stressors cannot be underestimated in the practice of palliative care.

The aim of this review was to provide a systematic overview of knowledge on how advanced cancer in a parent impacts the healthy parent's role in a family with children aged 6–12 years, and the types of help that they require in order to cope. Despite the large number of families living with a parent affected by cancer, the literature is limited concerning the needs and outcomes for the healthy parents and their need for support in managing their children's needs, when the partner is seriously ill or is in the palliative phase of cancer.

Comprehensive literature searches were undertaken by systematically searching for qualitative articles published during the period 1989–2009. The quality assessment was evaluated using a predefined “checklist to assess qualitative research.”

Seven articles met our eligibility criteria. Four distinct themes emerged that describe the healthy parent's role in the family, whose life is now characterized by uncertainty and who is attempting to maintain a balance between the needs of their children, the patient, and themselves: (1) new roles without a script, (2) attempting to maintain a safe and normal life, (3) feeling alone even within the family, and (4) support to help young family members.

The present review provides new knowledge and insight into how healthy parents manage the challenges in parenting young children, coping with their everyday lives, and taking on new roles when their partner has advanced cancer or is dying. The healthy parent cannot balance the needs of all family members. To reach the goals of palliative care, nurses and other health professionals are encouraged to offer the patient, the healthy parent, and the children practical and emotional support.