El duelo en la familia del paciente oncológico : de las características a la intervención cognoscitivo comportamiental

Abstract

This revision s goal is to carry out a review of the literature on the grieving process in families of cancer patients from a cognitive behavioral perspective. Accordingly, we treat the emotions, cognitions and behaviors experienced by family members during the course of the disease; we also discuss the description of the grieving process by family members in relation to the life and family cycle, types of grieving that the family can develop, protective factors promoting normal grief and risk factors related to complicated grief, intervention strategies and techniques for grief from the cognitive behavioral perspective, cognitive behavioral intervention programs specific to grief in families of patients with chronic disease and, finally, cognitive behavioral interventions for handling family bereavement. We conclude that cancer is a disease that affects the lives of patients and also presents challenges to their families, which do not cease after the death of the patient. Despite this, psychological care provided to the families is insufficient. The cognitive behavioral approach has created protocols to help the family effectively and in a reasonable amount of time during the cancer process.