What works for therapists conducting family meetings: treatment integrity in family-focused grief therapy during palliative care and bereavement
Female; Humans; Male; Grief; Adult; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome; bereavement; Family/psychology; Health Surveys; Quality Assurance; Australia/epidemiology; Family Therapy/methods/statistics & numerical data; Health Care/methods/standards; Hospice Care/methods/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Neoplasms/mortality/psychology; Palliative Care/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Professional Competence/statistics & numerical data; SSHRC CURA
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment integrity of Family-Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT), a preventive intervention designed for families at high risk of poor functioning during palliative care and bereavement. From the 81 families participating in a randomized controlled trial (53 assigned to therapy), 28 were randomly selected for this study of treatment fidelity using the FFGT integrity measure. A total of 109 family sessions were appraised. This represented a review of 62% of treated families, 38% of total therapy sessions, and 87% of the 15 participating therapists. Weighted mean percentage occurrences of therapist behaviors permitted trends in therapy application to be observed. Inter-rater reliability using the FFGT integrity measure was satisfactory, with 88% overall agreement. Eighty-six percent of therapists adhered faithfully to core elements of the model. Therapist competence was evidenced by a strong therapeutic alliance (94%), affirmation of family strengths in over 90%, and focus on agreed themes in 76% of sessions. Therapists averaged 10 grief-related questions per session, 7 on communication-related issues during assessment, 7 on conflict late in therapy, and 4 on cohesiveness across the course of therapy. Consistent application of FFGT, with attention to its four key themes of family communication, cohesiveness, conflict resolution, and shared grief has been demonstrated. The model is generalizable when applied by family therapists.
2004
Chan EK; O'Neill I; McKenzie M; Love A; Kissane DW
Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management
2004
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2003.10.008" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2003.10.008</a>
Frequency and perceived competence in providing palliative care to terminally ill patients: a survey of primary care physicians
Humans; Physician-Patient Relations; Data Collection; Physician's Practice Patterns/statistics & numerical data; United States/epidemiology; Palliative Care/statistics & numerical data; Terminally Ill/statistics & numerical data; Quality Assurance; Professional Competence/statistics & numerical data; Health Care/methods; Primary Health Care/statistics & numerical data; Terminal Care/statistics & numerical data
We surveyed primary care physicians about their involvement and perceived skills in palliative care. A survey instrument asked how frequently internal medicine and family practice physicians performed 10 palliative care items. Subjects rated their skills in each area. A majority of physicians always or frequently performed all 10 palliative care items, but fewer than 50% of respondents adequately attended to the spiritual needs and economic problems of patients. Interest in palliative care was associated with an increased frequency in performing palliative care items (P = 0.036), while training in palliative care was associated with better perceived performance (P = 0.05). Only 36% of respondents had received training in palliative care. Internists and family practitioners provide palliative care to patients, but feel their skills are lacking in certain areas. Training may improve care to patients at the end of life.
2004
Farber NJ; Urban SY; Collier VU; Metzger M; Weiner J; Boyer EG
Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management
2004
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2004.01.013" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2004.01.013</a>