Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Family caregivers of dying cancer patients may suffer from grief experiences and bereavement complications. Previous studies have proposed some psycho-emotional interventions for the management of these complications. However, little attention has been given to family-based dignity interven...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04715-x |
| _version_ | 1827974427135967232 |
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| author | Tahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh Naima Seyedfatemi Jafar Bolhari Naser Kamyari Masoud Rezaei |
| author_facet | Tahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh Naima Seyedfatemi Jafar Bolhari Naser Kamyari Masoud Rezaei |
| author_sort | Tahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Family caregivers of dying cancer patients may suffer from grief experiences and bereavement complications. Previous studies have proposed some psycho-emotional interventions for the management of these complications. However, little attention has been given to family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing. This study was conducted to examine the effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing, combined and alone, on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of dying cancer patients. This was a randomized controlled trial, in which 200 family caregivers of dying cancer patients were randomly assigned to four intervention groups: family-based dignity intervention (n = 50), expressive writing intervention (n = 50), combined family-based single dignity intervention and expressive writing (n = 50), and control group (n = 50). In three times (baseline, 1 week, and 2 weeks after the interventions), anticipatory grief was assessed by a 13-item anticipatory grief scale (AGS). Finally, we found a significant reducing effect of family-based dignity intervention on AGS (-8.12 ± 1.53 vs. -1.57 ± 1.52, P = 0.01) and its subscales including behavioral (-5.92 ± 0.97 vs. -2.17 ± 0.96, P = 0.04) and emotional (-2.38 ± 0.78 vs. 0.68 ± 0.77, P = 0.03) subscales compared to the control group. However, no significant effect was seen for expressive writing intervention and combined interventions of expressive writing and family-based dignity intervention. In conclusion, family-based dignity intervention may be a safe intervention for relieving anticipatory grief among family caregivers of dying cancer patients. Additional clinical trials are needed to confirm our findings. Registration number: IRCT20210111050010N1. Trial registration date:2021–02-06. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:54:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-68fe1619f53c4e9382a6877eb50cf76a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:54:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-68fe1619f53c4e9382a6877eb50cf76a2023-04-03T05:35:35ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-04-0123111110.1186/s12888-023-04715-xEffects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trialTahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh0Naima Seyedfatemi1Jafar Bolhari2Naser Kamyari3Masoud Rezaei4Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical SciencesNursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical SciencesSpiritual Health Research Center, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Public Health, School of Health, Abadan University of Medical SciencesNursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Family caregivers of dying cancer patients may suffer from grief experiences and bereavement complications. Previous studies have proposed some psycho-emotional interventions for the management of these complications. However, little attention has been given to family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing. This study was conducted to examine the effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing, combined and alone, on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of dying cancer patients. This was a randomized controlled trial, in which 200 family caregivers of dying cancer patients were randomly assigned to four intervention groups: family-based dignity intervention (n = 50), expressive writing intervention (n = 50), combined family-based single dignity intervention and expressive writing (n = 50), and control group (n = 50). In three times (baseline, 1 week, and 2 weeks after the interventions), anticipatory grief was assessed by a 13-item anticipatory grief scale (AGS). Finally, we found a significant reducing effect of family-based dignity intervention on AGS (-8.12 ± 1.53 vs. -1.57 ± 1.52, P = 0.01) and its subscales including behavioral (-5.92 ± 0.97 vs. -2.17 ± 0.96, P = 0.04) and emotional (-2.38 ± 0.78 vs. 0.68 ± 0.77, P = 0.03) subscales compared to the control group. However, no significant effect was seen for expressive writing intervention and combined interventions of expressive writing and family-based dignity intervention. In conclusion, family-based dignity intervention may be a safe intervention for relieving anticipatory grief among family caregivers of dying cancer patients. Additional clinical trials are needed to confirm our findings. Registration number: IRCT20210111050010N1. Trial registration date:2021–02-06.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04715-xAnticipatory griefCaregiversCancerDignityExpressive writing |
| spellingShingle | Tahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh Naima Seyedfatemi Jafar Bolhari Naser Kamyari Masoud Rezaei Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial BMC Psychiatry Anticipatory grief Caregivers Cancer Dignity Expressive writing |
| title | Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Effects of family-based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | effects of family based dignity intervention and expressive writing on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Anticipatory grief Caregivers Cancer Dignity Expressive writing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04715-x |
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