Autonomy in adolescents in palliative care and its biopsychosocial impact: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a period of significant physical, psychological, and social changes, which can be intensified by the diagnosis of serious or chronic illnesses. This makes promoting autonomy in palliative care particularly challenging.

AIM: The present review aimed to identify factors and strategies that promote the autonomy of adolescents in palliative care.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. This systematic review synthesized existing literature and evidence regarding communication, involvement, and psychosocial support strategies in adolescent palliative care.

METHODS

The study examined various tools and models, including Voicing My Choices, Building Our Solutions Together for Pediatric Advance Care Planning (BOOST-pACP), and the Family-Centered Advance Care Planning (FACE) model, to evaluate their effectiveness in facilitating communication, family support, and decision-making.

RESULTS

Effective communication tools and family-centered approaches are crucial for promoting adolescent autonomy. Strategies focused on open communication, psychosocial support, and active adolescent involvement in decisions can enhance autonomy, although further research is needed to assess their effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Implementing communication facilitation, psychosocial support, and adolescent involvement strategies is essential. Despite the need for more evidence, the review offers a set of recommendations to support the autonomy of adolescents in palliative care.