Banca de DEFESA: LUCAS PONTELLO FRANCA SMITH

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : LUCAS PONTELLO FRANCA SMITH
DATE: 12/02/2026
TIME: 15:00
LOCAL: Plataforma Virtual
TITLE:

Experience of Spirituality and Religiosity in the Face of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

 

KEY WORDS:

Rare diseases, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Spirituality, Case Reports.

PAGES: 72
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Psicologia
SUMMARY:

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease responsible for progressive and irreversible motor paralysis. When facing adverse conditions such as this, many individuals seek meaning and support in spirituality/religiosity to cope with stressors associated with disease progression. This qualitative study, with a descriptive multiple case study design, aimed to investigate the expression of spirituality and religiosity in the lives of individuals diagnosed with ALS, in order to understand the impact of such experiences on adjustment to illness and quality of life. The participants were two adult women and one adult man, aged between 51 and 57 years, who had received an ALS diagnosis. Data collection involved individual, online, semi-structured interviews conducted using a previously developed guide; the interviews were audio-recorded and subsequently transcribed verbatim. In addition, a questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic and medical-clinical information, and the Attitudes Related to Spirituality Scale (ARES) and the Brief ALS-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QVELA-20/Br) were administered. The interview data were categorized and analyzed according to the principles and procedures of Thematic Analysis, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the participants’ personal experiences. A cross-case analysis was then conducted to identify patterns, similarities, and differences among the three participants’ accounts. The results indicated that spirituality/religiosity (S/R) functions as an organizing axis of the existential experience in ALS; it supports the continuity of social roles and life projects despite progressive functional loss; and it influences the perception of finitude in an integrated manner, fostering acceptance without negating the desire to live. Furthermore, illness promoted changes in the way S/R was experienced, with the strengthening of a more intimate, personalized form of spirituality that was less dependent on religious institutions, while still preserving previously established meanings and beliefs. S/R was found to play a relevant role in emotional regulation, the re-signification of suffering, and the preservation of hope, contributing to positive evaluations of quality of life even in the presence of severe functional limitations. Data from the applied instruments corroborated the qualitative findings, indicating high levels of spirituality and coherence between subjective narratives and quantitative scores. These findings highlight S/R as a coping resource and source of existential support, fostering psychosocial adjustment and psychological well-being in individuals diagnosed with ALS. By advancing understanding of how spiritual and religious experiences relate to the psychological well-being of people with ALS, this study demonstrates potential to inform the development of psychosocial intervention proposals that integrate religious and spiritual aspects into clinical care, with the aim of improving quality of life.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 2077610 - LILIAN MARIA BORGES
Interna - 2151322 - JAQUELINE ROCHA BORGES DOS SANTOS
Externa à Instituição - MARTA HELENA DE FREITAS - UCB