The effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the strength of evidence regarding the effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness. BACKGROUND: Life-threatening illness not only causes physical symptoms but also psycho-spiritual burdens. Life review has been widely implemented to assist people coping with these burdens. However, the effectiveness of life review is not clear. To date, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been published on this topic. DESIGN AND REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review with meta- analysis consistent with the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration was conducted. DATA SOURCES: Database searches included MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CNKI and VIP et al. up to April 2015. We also searched the grey literature, reviewed reference lists from relevant articles and book chapters and contacted experts. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The risk of bias for those studies were rated as moderate (n = 11). The meta-analyses demonstrated significant standardized mean differences or mean differences in favour of life review compared with the control for depression, quality of life and self-esteem. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that life review can decrease depressive symptoms, improve quality of life and enhance self-esteem among patients with life-threatening illnesses. Multi-centre studies with adequate sample size and rigorous designs are needed in future research.