One-week Short-Term Life Review interview can improve spiritual well-being of terminally ill cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Short-Term Life Review on the spiritual well-being, as well as anxiety, depression, suffering, and happiness of terminally ill cancer patients.

METHOD: Thirty patients reviewed their lives in the first session and they confirmed the contents in the album based on the life review in the second session. Duration of the treatment was one week. Measurement instruments included Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual (FACIT-Sp), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Numeric Rating Scales of Suffering (from 0 to 6) and Happiness (from 1 to 7).

RESULTS: After the therapy, the mean FACIT-Sp scores increased from 16+/-8.2 to 24+/-7.1, anxiety score significantly decreased from 6.8+/-4.7 to 3.0+/-2.2, depression score significantly decreased from 10.2+/-4.7 to 6.6+/-4.1, suffering score significantly decreased from 3.4+/-1.9 to 1.8+/-1.4, and happiness score significantly increased from 4.6+/-1.9 to 5.6+/-1.6. Total HADS scores significantly decreased from 17+/-8.6 to 9.5+/-5.4.

CONCLUSION: The Short-Term Life Review is feasible and may be effective in improving the spiritual and psychosocial well-being of terminally ill cancer patients.