Dignity Impact as a Primary Outcome Measure for Dignity Therapy.
Lisa Scarton, Sungho Oh, Ashley Sylvera and 7 others
PMID 29793345WHAT IT FOUND
The original trial's main outcomes were not significant, but in this secondary analysis patients with life-threatening illness receiving dignity therapy scored higher on a new dignity impact scale.
Key findings
01Patients receiving dignity therapy had higher mean Dignity Impact Scale scores than patients receiving usual care or a client-centered intervention.
02The client-centered intervention group did not show a dignity impact score better than standard palliative care.
03The 7-item Dignity Impact Scale was reliable in this sample.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The Dignity Impact Scale was analysed after the original trial was completed, and the original trial's hypothesized outcomes were not statistically significant. The scale was measured only after the intervention, so the analysis cannot show change from before to after. The sample was mostly White, well educated, and had low distress, so the findings may not apply to more diverse or more distressed patients. The study did not confirm the scale's construct validity or stability over time. The original trial excluded patients who did not speak English, were cognitively impaired, or could not complete study requirements.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher dignity impact scores as proof that dignity therapy is effective for emotional or physical distress. The original trial's main outcomes were not statistically significant, and this was a posthoc analysis of a new scale after the trial was completed.