Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Spiritual conversation model for patients and loved ones in palliative care: a validation study
Marc Haufe1, Carlo Leget2, Tina Glasner3
1Department of Care Ethics, University for Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands M.Haufe@uvh.nl.
Objectives:
In palliative care, validated tools for professionals that facilitate day-to-day spiritual conversations with patients and loved ones are scarce. The objective of this study was to validate the Diamond spiritual conversation model across different palliative care settings as well as professional and educational levels.
Methods:
An online survey was filled in by 387 professionals providing palliative care for patients in hospice, home care, hospital and nursing home settings. The five polarities of the Diamond model: holding on-letting go, doing-undergoing, remembering-forgetting, me-the other and believing-knowing were operationalised and evaluated on reported occurrence.
Results:
In conversations with patients, palliative care professionals reported letting go of loved ones (81.8%), dealing with pain and suffering (88.1%), dealing with issues from the past (67.2%), dealing with own versus loved one's wishes (69.4%) and giving meaning to death (66.7%) as themes occurring regularly to very often. In conversations with loved ones, this was 70.8%, 78.5%, 55.4%, 68,8% and 62%, respectively. Respondents working in hospices reported these themes significantly more than those working in home care settings, nursing homes or hospitals. Nurse assistant respondents reported the themes significantly less than nurses or chaplains.
Conclusion:
From the perspective of professionals providing palliative care in different palliative care settings, the Diamond model offers a validated framework for addressing relevant spiritual themes for patients and loved ones.
Related Concept Videos
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
Continuing Care
Therapeutic Communication
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
Patient-centered Care
Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from...
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:

