A psychological experience assessment protocol of parent caregivers in paediatric palliative care

Autor: Alexandra Jóni Nogueira, Maria Teresa Ribeiro
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Annals of Medicine, Vol 55, Iss 2 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 07853890
1365-2060
0785-3890
DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2268093
Popis: AbstractBackground: Paediatric Palliative Care (PPC) has undergone rapid growth in Portugal, where there are over 7800 children with life-limiting conditions. This is a complex experience for families due to the ongoing threat and vulnerability caused by the emergence of an illness, and therefore several studies have tended to focus on the adaptation of parent caregivers. The aim of the present study is to present a psychological experience assessment protocol of parents in PPC. Methods: It consists of a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire and a semi-structured interview based on an incomplete narrative deriving from the Unwanted Guest Metaphor. Results: On the basis of the latter, 10 dimensions of the experience in the parental subsystem were explored through parents’ own perspective, namely: confrontation with the diagnosis; representation of the illness; emotional impact; day-to-day challenges; family impact; resources and social support; coping strategies; posttraumatic growth; representation of the sick child; and future perspectives. Discussion: The protocol can be used in person or remotely and its application enables the identification of specific needs and the establishment of psychotherapeutic goals and strategies for each family, thus enhancing their well-being and resilience, from an eco-systemic perspective. Conclusions: The protocol is presented in detail and its importance in the context of research and systemic intervention in PPC is discussed.
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