Psychological Intervention in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Suggestions for Clinical Practice

Abstract

Objective: The present work collects considerations on the state of the art and the exchange of psychologists’ professional opinions from all over Italy. Psychological support is offered along the whole progress of the disease, thus different settings are required. In this work we considered the three main areas of psychological intervention: hospital, home, help group. Main outcome measures: Qualitative approach was used to analyze suggestions from psychologists working in the ALS field. Focus groups were used to collect data. Results: Specific suggestions for each context were obtained collecting data from professional focus groups as the main purpose of the work. Conclusion: The base assumption for all of the professionals is to respect each patient’s need and value. Common objectives of this area are promoting awareness, improving adjustment and reducing emotional distress, together with support in communication and decision-making processes.