Table 2.

Qualitative studies

	Intervention	Country	Setting	Findings
RCT
Steinhauser, et al. (2009)	Three-arm intervention at three time points: LR, forgiveness, heritage, and legacy; attention control group: Nonguided relaxation CD; true control group: No intervention	USA, North Carolina	18 patients	Life story: Cherished times, accomplishments/forgiveness: Things done differently, forgiveness asked, forgiveness offered, peace/heritage and legacy: Lessons learned, lessons to share with loved ones, advice to other generations, legacy
Hall, et al. (2013)	DT; control group: Standard care	London, UK	45 patients and caregiver	Themes underlying DT: Generativity, continuity of self, maintenance of pride, hopefulness, and care tenor were evident in the intervention group. Just hopefulness and care tenor in the control group
Non-RCT
Ando, et al. (2007;15)	LR Pre-post intervention	Japan	12 patients	Overall QOL score and spirituality subscale score significantly increased; effective group: Positive view of life, pleasure in daily activities, balanced evaluation of life noneffective group: Worries about future caused by disease, conflicts in family relationships, confrontation of practical problems
Ando, et al. (2007;5)	LR Four sessions	Japan	16 patients	Text analysis showed differences according to age, disease stage, and gender Main concerns related to age  40 - Children  50 - How to confront death  60 - Death-related anxiety  70 - Resignation about death; evaluative reminiscence of their lives  80 - Relationships with others
Ando, et al. (2009;7)	SLR Pre-post intervention	Japan, Korea, America	43 patients 20 Japanese, 16 Koreans, 7 Americans	Japan: Good human relationships and transcendence; achievements and satisfactions; good memories and important things; bitter memories
				Korea: Religious life; right behavior for living; strong consideration for children and will; life for living
				America: Love, pride, will; good, sweet memories; regret and feelings of loss
Ando, et al. (2010;19)	BLR Pre-post intervention	Japan	21 bereaved caregivers	Division according to FACIT-Sp findings into two groups  1=Effective group (scores from 3 to 14)  2=Noneffective group (scores from −12 to <3) 1. Good memories of family; loss and reconstruction; pleasant memories of last days, 2. Suffering with memories; disagreement on funeral arrangements; regret and sense of guilt
Keall, et al. (2011)	LR Three sessions	Sydney Australia	11 patients	Overarching themes: Life review, current situation, legacy/principles
Ando, et al. (2012;10)	SLR Pre-post intervention	Japan	34 patients	Findings in 20 narratives (1) Human relationships; to live in the present (2) Birth of children; pleasant memories (3) Illness; marriage, divorce (4) Company or work; raising children or education (5) Achievements at work; attitude to cope with illness (6) Message to children; getting along with others (7) To live sincerely; consideration for others (8) Stormy life; self-centered life
Xiao, et al. (2012)	LR Three sessions	China	26 patients	Six categories: Accepting one’s unique life; feelings of emotional relief; bolstering A sense of meaning in life; leaving a personal legacy; making future orientations; barriers to a life review
Ho, et al. (2013)	Dignity interview One session	Hong Kong China	18 patients	Two major themes to maintain dignity were identified: Personal autonomy and family connectedness
Ingersoll-Dayton, et al. (2013)	Reminiscing five sessions	USA Midwest	24 couples - patient with caregiver	Positive aspects found: Dyads enjoyed reliving story of life and life story book, planned to share it with others, fostered communication, meaningful engagement, and helped memory
Ando, et al. (2014;31)	BLR Pre-post intervention	Japan	19 bereaved caregivers	The analysis of the narratives made an allocation according to the stages of TTM possible
Ando, et al. (2015;13)	BLR Pre-post interventions	Hawaii	20 bereaved caregivers	Significant improvement in spiritual well-being and significant reduction of depression; interviews: Five categories: Learning from practical caring experience, positive understanding of patients, recognition of appreciation, self-change or growth, and obtaining a philosophy
Ando, et al. (2015;13)	BLR Pre-post intervention	Japan	20 caregivers	Findings in narratives were selected into changes and value changes: 1. Learning from the deceased×s death and self-growth, 2. Healing process, 3. Relating with others, 4. Relating with society, 5. Performing new family roles/values: 1. Continuing grief work, 2. Living with a philosophy, 3. Attaining life roles, 4. Keeping good Human relationships 5. Enjoying life
Dahley, Sanders (2016)	LR Pre-post intervention	USA Midwest	15 residents and 18 family members	Six major themes of LR emerged: Affirmed prior knowledge; created a living legacy; revealed new information; opened communication; enhanced understanding of the older adult; and affirmed older adult
Duggleby, et al. (2016)	LWHP Pre-post intervention	Canada	13 dyads (patients and caregivers)	LWHP fostered according to the analysis 1. Reminiscing 2. Leaving a legacy 3. Positive reappraisal 4. Motivating processes
Hannum, Rubinstein (2016)	Life history Three sessions	USA Baltimore	15 patients	Illness is disrupting individual biography into three time segments: Recalled past; existent present; imagined future
Hack et al. (2010)	Fifty transcripts of DT	Canada and Australia	50 patients	Main findings: “Family,” “pleasure,” “caring,” “a sense of accomplishment,” “true friendship,” and “rich experience”

LR: Life review, SLR: Short-term life review, BLR: Bereaved life review, LWHP: Living with Hope Program