Hastened death practices are legal in several countries. Psychologists are increasingly taking a more active role in end-of-life issues, but the role of psychologists in requests to hasten death is ...not established. This study aims to contribute guidance for psychological practice in the context of requests to hasten death. We conducted a cross-sectional and cross-cultural study with Psychologists from Portugal and Luxembourg who answer closed and open questions to provide views about their role in hastened death. Psychological assessment, psychological support to patient and family, the exploration of patient decision-making and reorientation of patients were viewed as roles for psychologists. However, these roles may differ depending whether the patient has a terminal or non-terminal illness.
The opportunity for patients to request support to die is legalised in several countries and is associated with the development of a social and political debate that has taken place in recent years. ...We believe that psychologists can contribute to this debate. Here, we conducted a literature and legislation review with the aim of understanding arguments regarding the roles of the psychologist in hastening death. A systematic review of the peer‐review literature in this field was carried out. The legislation of each country with hasten death practices was analysed to understand if psychologists are included in the protocols of hasten death practices. Despite a lack of literature, we found competence assessment, communication, psychological counselling, research and training and public policy to be the possible roles of psychologists in requests to hasten death. Based on the review, an agenda for future research is developed. We highlight the importance of psychology, raising its profile in the study of the various forms of death hastening requests.
During COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) have had high workload and have been exposed to multiple psychosocial stressors. The aim of this study was to evaluate HCWs in terms of the ...relative contributions of socio-demographic and mental health variables on three burnout dimensions: personal, work-related, and client-related burnout.
A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire spread via social networks. A snowball technique supported by health care institutions and professional organizations was applied.
A total of 2008 subjects completed the survey. Gender, parental status, marriage status, and salary reduction were found to be significant factors for personal burnout. Health problems and direct contact with infected people were significantly associated with more susceptibility to high personal and work-related burnout. Frontline working positions were associated with all three dimensions. Higher levels of stress and depression in HCWs were significantly associated with increased levels of all burnout dimensions. Higher levels of satisfaction with life and resilience were significantly associated with lower levels of all burnout dimensions.
All three burnout dimensions were associated with a specific set of covariates. Consideration of these three dimensions is important when designing future burnout prevention programs for HCWs.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study focuses on the impact of common spiritual beliefs regarding metaphysical questions in agreeability with the practice of hastened death. A sample of 497 Portuguese medical students was ...collected. Differences between genders and religions, predictors for agreeability with hastened death and the association between spiritual beliefs and opinion towards hastened death cases were assessed. Respondents were mostly favourable to the practice of hastened death. Formal religious affiliation and higher levels of religiosity significantly associated with lesser agreeability with hastened death. Statistically significant association was found between every hastened death scenario and multiple of the spiritual beliefs used. A number of spiritual beliefs were predictors of agreeability. We discuss the implications of religion and spirituality in agreeability with hastened death. Further research is required to better understand the true weight of spirituality in one’s opinion towards this ethical dilemma.
A growing number of countries have legalized the process of hastening death. At a time when laws decriminalizing hastened death have been passed in the Portuguese Parliament, the development of ...research related with decision making regarding this issue is of crucial importance. This study seeks to evaluate, in a sample of Portuguese doctors, whether the presentation of clinical vignettes changes the agreement with the practice of hastened death compared with general scenarios.
A questionnaire was distributed among academic physicians from medical schools across Portugal to assess their level of agreement or disagreement with the practice of hastened death. The questionnaire included eight standard cases and eight clinical vignettes framed under conditions defined by law for the practice of hastened death. Differences were analyzed using the t-Student test for paired samples.
There were statistically significant differences in five scenarios (t = 3.46; p < 0.05; t = 2.47; p < 0.05; t = 4.28; p < 0.05; t = 3.38; p < 0.05; t = 3.66; p < 0.05) with greater agreement concerning the clinical vignettes. The highest acceptance was found in the requests made by adults with terminal and incurable illnesses.
Agreement increased when the clinical vignette was presented in comparison with the respective standard for most of the cases of hastened death presented.
This article analyzes suicidal behavior and how its inherent processes of death ideation can overlap with those seeking euthanasia. We present a literature review of three main events in suicide ...(suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide) in different populations and evaluate implications for health-care practice and risk assessment taking into account the context of euthanasia. We ponder upon the motives behind suicide and its link with wish to die requests to hasten death. We discuss the possibility of the reversal of a wish to die as well as a potential process of differentiating between individuals who would maintain their wish and benefit from termination of life and others who would later change their minds.
•Deaths by euthanasia are higher than by physician assisted suicide.•Patients profiles follow the trends in the literature.•Explore acceptable alternatives for the request.•Verify the voluntariness ...of the request.•Hastened death seems not motivated by lack of access to palliative care.
Voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide has been legally performed in several countries. However, little is known about how decision-making occurs. We undertook this study to describe trends in officially reported cases of voluntary euthanasia or physician assisted suicide and to explore the decision-making procedures and understand relevant criteria. Thematic analysis of the official reports from several countries was performed. Differences in the number of reported deaths from hasten death practices between countries was found, with higher numbers in countries who performed voluntary euthanasia. Patients profiles follow the trends in the literature (the majority is aged between 70 and 89 years old, men die more often than women in most countries, most prevalent underlying disease is cancer, most people died at home). Despite there being little detail in the reports, decision is explored in the majority of countries and states (exploration of acceptable alternatives and verification of the voluntariness of the request). The importance of collecting data on this topic around the world and establishing a firm evidence-base to support professionals’ practice is highlighted.
Background. Rationality, emotions, and intuition all seem to underlie the decision-making process. In a profession such as psychology, it is crucial to improve the rational dimension of decision ...making. Ethical reasoning can be compared to moral decision-making, but it is also linked to professional judgment. In psychology and other professions, ethical reasoning seems to be the basis for the development of professional skills. Objective. Present and discuss the role that rationality, emotions, and intuition can play in people’s decision making, especially in the feld of psychological intervention. Design. A theoretical perspective is presented which takes into account the relevant literature in the feld. Results. We support the idea of fve fundamental preconditions for ethical reasoning: self-knowledge, excellent training, experience or supervision, humility, and intervision. We recommend that psychologists meet these conditions in their professional decision making in order to promote the best quality of professional practice. Conclusion. We can say that ethical reasoning is a professional moral decision. As professionals, we are primarily intuitive in our decision making, which is why we make decisions almost automatically; but our decisions are based on our professional experience. Psychologists should refect on and understand the processes involved in decision making in order to avoid conclusions based on their personal experiences.
Stigma toward mental illness significantly contributes to a lower quality of healthcare that can be provided. There are few studies on this topic in Portugal, so validating a scale that can evaluate ...and study the stigma is paramount. The aim of this study was to validate the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Portuguese healthcare professionals.
A total of 503 participants were included in this study, and the majority was female (81.1%). The sample consisted mainly of psychologists (39.4%) and physicians (30.8%). Reliability and validity analyses were conducted and included exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Our results suggest that a 12-item model was the most appropriate (RMSEA = 0.026, SRMR = 0.057, CFI = 0.979, TLI = 0.973, GFI = 0.955) compared to our 15-item model and the original model. Items 8, 9 and 10 were removed. The 12-item scale's internal consistency was adequate (α = 0.71; ω = 0.72).
The 12-item model of the scale showed good reliability and validity and is appropriate for use with Portuguese healthcare professionals.
Lecturers face a large wide of occupational stressors. If the prolonged stress and the symptomatology associated with the working conditions to which lecturers were exposed were already a concern ...before the pandemic, the pandemic may have exacerbated this psychosocial vulnerability. Burnout is a psychological syndrome that develops in response to chronic work stress. This study aims to describe burnout amongst lecturers working in Portugal and to analyse potential determinants of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire distributed via social networks. The survey collected sociodemographic and sleep patterns data in addition to applying the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (personal, work- and student-related burnout), the Resilience Scale, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.
The sample included 331 lecturers from 35 different colleges and faculties. Three significant models explained personal (R2 = 54%), work- (R2 = 47%) and student- (R2 = 19%) related burnout. Lower levels of resilience and higher levels of depression and stress were significantly associated with personal and work-related burnout. Changes in sleep patterns were additionally associated with both personal and work-related burnout.
Higher education institutions must recognize the impact of the work environment and organizational culture on faculty mental health and take proactive measures to improve this environment. These institutions can implement support strategies such as educational technology training, professional development programmes, emotional support resources, and workload flexibility. Implementing measures to enhance lecturers' resilience and overall life satisfaction could potentially help mitigate burnout and improve the well-being of educators, ultimately contributing to the overall quality of education.
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