Death studies
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Review
Terror management theory applied clinically: implications for existential-integrative psychotherapy.
Existential psychotherapy and Terror Management Theory (TMT) offer explanations for the potential psychological effects of death awareness, although their respective literatures bases differ in clarity, research, and implications for treating psychopathology. Existential therapy is often opaque to many therapists, in part due to the lack of consensus on what constitutes its practice, limited published practical examples, and few empirical studies examining its efficacy. By contrast, TMT has an extensive empirical literature base, both within social psychology and spanning multiple disciplines, although previously unexplored within clinical and counseling psychology. This article explores the implications of a proposed TMT integrated existential therapy (TIE), bridging the gap between disciplines in order to meet the needs of the aging population and current challenges facing existential therapists.
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Few studies have fully explored the problem of communication barriers in pediatric palliative care, particularly the detrimental effects of poor interaction between staff and families on children's health and well-being. A literature review was undertaken to expand the current body of knowledge about staff to patient communications. ⋯ A narrative synthesis identified 5 overarching themes as barriers to communication. Improvements in staff education and individualized palliative care plans for children and their families may help to overcome communication barriers.
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The success of traditional suicide prevention efforts is evaluated and found wanting. Some encouraging recent developments are noted, and it is suggested that suicidologists might also profitably consider the strategies used by professionals dealing with other public health and social problems, such as drug abuse and delinquency.