Lying as an intervention resource with people with cognitive impairment. A narrative review of therapeutic lying

Abstract

Therapeutic lying is an intervention tool that consists of giving a different response to reality to a person suffering from cognitive impairment. This resource is used to seek the greatest benefit for the person, and its use has important ethical implications for healthcare professionals, who face a complex dilemma when they have to decide between the truth or the lie. The aim of this study is to analyze the different positions on the use of therapeutic lying by means of a narrative review of the scientific literature on this tool. A total of 1783 articles were identified using the PUBMED, LILACS, IBECS, EBSCO, Web of Science, SciELO, and Cochrane Library databases. After a review of the title, abstract, full text, and application of the inclusion criteria, 26 texts were selected for this review. None of the articles analyzed maintains a definite position, for or against, regarding the use of therapeutic lying, and most of them propose its use to a greater or lesser extent. The different arguments for and against this resource make it possible to develop a complete definition of the intervention resource, taking into account the pros and cons of its use.