Development and Formative Evaluation of the Family-Based Dignity Therapy Protocol for Palliative Cancer Patients and Their Families: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Palliative cancer patients and family members in China may experience difficulties in expressing their feelings, concerns, and needs to each other because of the death-taboo culture and the strong desire to protect each other from being exposed to emotional distress.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to develop a nurse-led psychotherapeutic intervention aiming to facilitate meaningful conversations between palliative cancer patients and their family members, named family-based dignity therapy (FBDT), and preliminarily explore the anticipated benefits and challenges of the implementation of FBDT.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. The FBDT was designed based on the dignity therapy protocol and additionally inspired by the Chinese tradition of "4 important things in life." Ten palliative cancer patients, 10 family members, and 13 oncology and hospice nurses were surveyed to evaluate the FBDT protocol both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Results: The FBDT interview guide was endorsed by most palliative cancer patients and family members (>75.0%), as well as oncology and hospice nurses (>90.0%). Potential perceived benefits and challenges of FBDT were proposed by participants. The FBDT protocol was modified according to feedback from participants to make it more suitable to use in clinical practice in China.

Conclusion: The FBDT was perceived to be a potentially promising intervention to facilitate meaningful end-of-life conversations among palliative cancer patients and family members in China.

Implications for practice: The FBDT might provide a means for nurses to promote potentially enhanced end-of-life communications for palliative cancer patients and their families. Further studies are needed to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of FBDT to confirm this in China.