The perspectives of provisionally registered psychologists on voluntary assisted dying in Australia: An in-depth qualitative investigation

In Australia, voluntary assisted dying (VAD) is now widely legalised, and VAD uptake is on the rise. Thus, the demand for psychological support in the context of VAD is expected to grow. Despite their relevant expertise, psychologists remain underrepresented in end-of-life (EOL) literature and practice. The current in-depth qualitative study examined the perspectives of 20 provisionally registered psychologists in Australia on VAD, using reflexive thematic analysis grounded in social constructionism. Four main themes (‘Values’, ‘Fit-for-Role’, ‘Exposure’, and ‘Contributions’) and 14 sub-themes were generated from the data. Participants supported availing VAD for terminally ill patients and expressed the potential for its use with dementia sufferers. Nevertheless, participants expressed little interest to engage in VAD care. Participants shared concerns about the high-stakes nature of VAD, the emotional strain of EOL practice, and limited exposure to EOL and VAD. Practical implications and directions for further research are discussed.