Abstract

BORGES, Michael; RANGEL, Cristiane  and  BARTMANN, Adriane. The hospital psychologist’s perspective on anticipatory grief in cancer patients. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2023, vol.24, n.2, pp.696-706.  Epub Oct 31, 2023. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/23psd240222.

This study aimed to investigate the interventions of hospital psychologists in anticipatory grief in cancer patients and their families, in addition to investigating the patient's relationship with death. With this, an exploratory bibliographical research with a qualitative approach was carried out. The document search was carried out in the VHL, SciELO and PePSIC databases, between 2016 and 2021, using the descriptors: Psychology x Palliative Care x Cancer; Psychologist x Palliative Care x Cancer; Hospital Psychologist x Death x Cancer; Palliative Care x Anticipatory Grief; Anticipatory Grief vs. Cancer. After the selection process, nine articles were obtained and submitted to content analysis, giving rise to the following categories: the cancer patients; anticipatory mourning; role of the hospital psychologist and multidisciplinary teams; caregivers and family members: development and course of terminality. Results: The present research concluded that the anticipatory grief present in cancer patients arouses feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, guilt and anxiety, in addition to the physical and spiritual discomfort that accompanies the disease. Still, it was found that hospital psychologists use a series of interventions focused on a humanized look with the patient and their families. With limited scientific production on the subject and still little investigated, it is noted that the psychologist has a fundamental role in multidisciplinary teams, in order to provide a careful look at this context. We also emphasize that further studies are essential, providing new discussions on such a sensitive topic.

Keywords : Hospital psychologist; Anticipatory mourning; Palliative care; Cancer.

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