Attitudes of clinical psychologists and medical doctors to assisted dying in the UK: A mixed-methods survey.

IF 1.8 4区医学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Death Studies Pub Date : 2025-09-13 DOI:10.1080/07481187.2025.2556118

Emma Acford, Alice Welham, Sarah Gunn

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Abstract

If assisted dying (AD) were legalized in the UK, clinical psychologists (CPs) and medical doctors would very likely be involved in its processes. However, evidence around these professional groups' attitudes to AD is limited. To understand attitudes of UK-based CPs and medical doctors to AD, 347 CPs (n = 292) and medical doctors (n = 55) completed a survey on AD attitudes, psychological wellbeing, psychological flexibility and demographics, with additional open questions. CPs held significantly more favorable attitudes toward AD than doctors. A regression model for CP data including age, years qualified, psychological wellbeing, psychological flexibility, sex, religiosity and ethnicity significantly predicted AD attitudes. Thematic analysis of open questions developed five themes: conceptualizing AD; navigating eligibility and access; risk and regulation; societal reform and infrastructure; and professional roles and dilemmas. These findings emphasize key variables in supporting CPs and doctors to potentially work around AD, highlighting needs for informed discussions and robust support systems.

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英国临床心理学家和医生对协助死亡的态度：一项混合方法调查。

如果辅助死亡（AD）在英国合法化，临床心理学家（CPs）和医生很可能会参与其中。然而，关于这些专业团体对阿尔茨海默病态度的证据是有限的。为了了解英国CPs和医生对AD的态度，347名CPs （n = 292）和医生（n = 55）完成了一项关于AD态度、心理健康、心理灵活性和人口统计学的调查，并提出了其他开放性问题。CPs对AD的好感度明显高于医生。年龄、合格年数、心理健康、心理灵活性、性别、宗教信仰和种族等CP数据的回归模型显著预测AD态度。开放性问题的主题分析发展出五个主题：将AD概念化；导航资格和访问；风险与监管；社会改革和基础设施；以及职业角色和困境。这些发现强调了支持CPs和医生潜在地围绕AD工作的关键变量，强调了对知情讨论和强大支持系统的需求。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Death Studies Multiple-

CiteScore

8.30

自引率

7.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Now published ten times each year, this acclaimed journal provides refereed papers on significant research, scholarship, and practical approaches in the fast growing areas of bereavement and loss, grief therapy, death attitudes, suicide, and death education. It provides an international interdisciplinary forum in which a variety of professionals share results of research and practice, with the aim of better understanding the human encounter with death and assisting those who work with the dying and their families.