Avaliação terapêutica como proposta interventiva para o luto materno: investigando mudanças

Abstract

The death of a child has intense repercussions on the lives of mothers who have lost their children. As bereavement is a multifaceted process, it requires careful assessment in order to avoid misdiagnosis and to help plan interventions. Among the assessment models, Therapeutic Assessment (TA) has stood out, a psychological assessment model in which the client participates actively and collaboratively in the whole process, since it is planned based on their demands. TA has been shown to be effective in improving clients’ lives, making direct changes possible in the short term. On the subject of grief, TA is a possibility for listening, welcoming and caring, as it provides a greater understanding of the suffering that the bereaved person is going through. With this in mind, the aim was to understand the changes of a bereaved mother during a TA process. This is a qualitative study with a single-case designas the research method. The participant was a mother who had experienced the suicide of a child nine years ago and who acknowledged that she was facing difficulties and suffering in relation to her grief. Data was collected through the TA process, which followed a semi-structure consisting of six steps, totaling eight sessions that took an average of 60 to 90 minutes each. Bardin's Content Analysis was carried out and the pre- and post-assessment results were compared using the JT method. The results indicated that during the TA process, there were positive changes regarding the client's dilemmas, such as the construction of new narratives and meaning for her grief. The client reported feeling relieved to share her difficulties, as well as feeling motivated to take care of herself. In addition, there was an improvement in her interpersonal relationships, especially with her family. When comparing pre- and post-assessment results, there was a reduction in symptoms of depression, hopelessness and trauma. It is considered that the TA fulfilled its purpose of promoting positive changes in the client's life.