Forgiveness facilitation in palliative care: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Psychology
• Spiritual Care

Background:

• Spiritual beliefs encompassing reconciliation and forgiveness are vital for patients and families in palliative care.
• Forgiveness facilitation offers a multidisciplinary, non-pharmacological approach to alleviate suffering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map the nature and extent of forgiveness facilitation interventions implemented and evaluated within palliative care settings.
• To identify the characteristics of these interventions and the healthcare professionals involved.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review utilizing JBI methodology.
• Searches conducted in international databases and gray literature (June 2017, updated December 2018) in multiple languages.
• Inclusion of studies involving palliative care patients (18+) and multidisciplinary palliative care teams.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three articles were included, indicating increasing interest in forgiveness facilitation across diverse spiritual/religious traditions.
• Interventions are primarily psychological, with limited detailed descriptions of activities.
• Social workers, nurses, doctors, and psychologists are frequently involved in facilitating forgiveness.

Conclusions:

• Forgiveness facilitation is crucial in palliative care, supported by a multidisciplinary approach.
• Further research is necessary to guide clinical implementation and enhance training for palliative care staff.
• Positive outcomes include improved well-being, quality of life, and reduced negative emotions.