Narrative Medicine and Dignity at the End of Life: Perspectives for Psychiatry

Journal title RIVISTA SPERIMENTALE DI FRENIATRIA
Author/s Simona Sacchi, Loredana Buonaccorso, Luca Ghirotto
Publishing Year 2026 Issue 2026/1
Language Italian Pages 14 P. 175-188 File size 734 KB
DOI 10.3280/RSF2026-001009
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Palliative care is an integrated approach aimed at relieving physical, psychological, social, and existential suffering in patients with severe and incurable illnesses. In recent years, psychiatry has become increasingly central within palliative care teams, contributing to the assessment and management of emotional distress, frequently encountered in these clinical trajectories. At the same time, Narrative Medicine provides tools that integrate biomedical reasoning with subjective experience, restoring meaning to illness narratives and enhancing communication among patients, families, and healthcare professionals. This manuscript examines the historical and organisational development of palliative care, the specific contribution of palliative psychiatry, and the role of Narrative Medicine in supporting therapeutic alliances and addressing global suffering. Special focus is given to Dignity Therapy and the Patient Dignity Question (PDQ), two dignity centered interventions that elicit patients’ values, hopes and priorities, thereby promoting individualised and identity respectful care. Recent literature highlights the benefits of narrative interventions in improving psychological wellbeing, reducing loneliness, and enhancing the perception of dignity, while also providing emotional support to clinicians and mitigating burnout. Finally, practical implications for psychiatrists are outlined, emphasising the relevance of integrating narrative tools into routine care, fostering interdisciplinary training, and promoting further research to strengthen the evidence base of these approaches.

Keywords: Palliative Care, Narrative Medicine, Dignity Therapy, Patient Dignity Question (PDQ), Narrative interventions.

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Simona Sacchi, Loredana Buonaccorso, Luca Ghirotto, Medicina Narrativa e dignità nel fine vita: prospettive per la Psichiatria in "RIVISTA SPERIMENTALE DI FRENIATRIA" 1/2026, pp 175-188, DOI: 10.3280/RSF2026-001009