The effectiveness of reminiscence therapy on the symptom management, the life satisfaction, and the self-transcendence in palliative care patients: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose To examine the effect of individualized reminiscence therapy on the management of global distress and physical and psychological symptoms, life satisfaction and self-transcendence levels of palliative care patients. Methods In a single-center palliative care service in western Turkey, 48 patients without cognitive impairment and able to communicate were included in the study. However, 44 patients completed the study. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the reminiscence therapy (intervention), unstructured social interviewing (placebo), and control groups (16 people for each group) before the start of the study. The sessions for the interview and placebo groups were conducted face-to-face in the patient's room (while the patient was sitting or lying down) for 15 days (2 weeks), every other day, for a total of eight sessions (each session was approximately 30 min). Data collection instruments-the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale, and the Self-Transcendence Scale-were collected at baseline (first day) and after the intervention (day 15th). Statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. Results There was no decrease in physical and total symptom burden (p > 0.05). There were significant reductions in general distress and psychological symptoms in the intervention and placebo groups within the group (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences between the control group and all groups when compared (p > 0.05). Group x time interactions were statistically significant for life satisfaction and self-transcendence (p < 0.001), and there was a substantial increase in the intervention group compared to the other groups. Conclusion It may be recommended that reminiscence therapy intervention be included in routine nursing care as it may contribute positively to the psychological recovery of palliative care patients approaching the end of life.