Table 2.
Overview of included studies.
| Study | Design | Country of First Author | Intervention | Control Group | Sample Size at Baseline | Gender (m/f) |
Outcomes | Study Characteristics: -Length to Follow up (FU) after Baseline Assessment; -Number of Sessions; -Duration of Sessions. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juliao et al., 2014 [22] | RCT | Portugal | LRI | Standard PC | N = 80 | 37 m (46.25%), 43 f (53.75%) | HADS total HADS Depression HADS Anxiety |
-FU on day 4 -Two intervention sessions between day 1 and day 4 -Each session lasting for 30–60 min |
| Ando et al., 2010 [20] | RCT | Japan | LRI | Standard PC | N = 68 | 32 m (47.01%), 36 f (52.94%) |
HADS total Distress thermometer |
-FU after 1 week -Two sessions within one week -Each session lasting for 30–60 min |
| Kwan et al., 2019 [23] | RCT | Hong Kong | LRI | Standard PC | N = 109 | 62 m (56.9%), 47 f (43,1%) | HADS total HADS Depression HADS Anxiety |
-FU after 8 days -Two sessions within 8 days -Each session lasting for 45 min |
| Do Carmo et al., 2017 [21] | RCT | Brazil | CBT intervention | Standard PC | N = 63 | 22 m (34.92%), 41 f (65.08%) |
HADS total HADS Depression HADS Anxiety |
-FU on day 45 (after 6.5 weeks intervention)-Up to 5 to 7 sessions in a week for 6.5 weeks -Each session lasting 45 to 90 min |
| Savard et al., 2006 [24] | RCT | Canada | CBT intervention | Waitlist control group | N = 37 | 100% f | HADS total HADS Depression BDI HADS Anxiety |
-FU after 8 weeks -8 weekly sessions across 8 weeks -Each session lasting 60 to90 min |
| Steinhauser et al., 2008 [16] | RCT | USA | Outlook intervention | Attention control group | N = 42 | 19 f (46%), 23 m (54%) |
Depression CESD Anxiety POMS |
-FU after 3 weeks -1 weekly session for 3 weeks (3 sessions in total) -Each session lasting 45 to 60 min |
| Rodin et al., 2019 [30] | RCT | Canada | Emotion and Symptom-focused Engagement intervention (EASE) | Standard PC | N = 42 | 26 m (61.90%), 16 f (38.10%) |
BDI-II | -FU after 4 weeks -8 to 12 sessions for 4 weeks -Each session lasting 30 to 60 min |
| Warth et al., 2020 [26] | Randomized crossover trial | Germany | Mindfulness intervention | Standard PC |
N = 42 | 13 m (31%), 29 f (69%) |
Distress VAS | -FU after 20 min of the intervention on the same day -1 session -Session lasting 20 min |
| Ng et al., 2016 [25] | RCT | Malaysia | Mindfulness intervention | Attention control group | N = 60 | 29 m (48.30%), 31 f (51.70%) |
One-item numeric distress scale | -FU took place 5 min after the end of intervention -1 session -Session lasting 5 min |
Note. LRI = Life review intervention; PC = Palliative care; RCT = Randomised control trial; CBT = Cognitive behavioural therapy; HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; BDI-II = Beck Depression Inventory II; POMS = Profile of Mood States Anxiety Subscale; CESD = Center for Epidemiological Study of Depression Scale; VAS = Visual analogue scale.