Thesis directory

Contenu
The French National Platform for End-of-Life Research lists thesis work relating to this field. The latest count is 101 theses in progress and 89 theses defended since 2019.

Theses in progress

106 thesis(es)
Thesis title PhD candidate Discipline(s) Research topic(s) Supervisor Institution
End-of-life care for elderly people in care facilities L'Allegresse Mineige EMAKOLOWE AKAMBIAYI Law Law and Legislation Magali BOUTEILLE-BRIGANT Le Mans Université
Themis Université du Maine
The medicalization of psychological suffering at the end of life Ethics Psychological and existential suffering Pierre LE COZ, Barthélémy TOSELLO Aix-Marseille Université
Anthropologie bio-culturelle, Droit, Ethique et Santé
Identifying methods to improve care for patients with incurable cancer in palliative care units: An approach based on the patient-caregiver relationship Chloé PREVOST Philosophy Patient support, Assessment of professional practices/systems/tools and scales, Assessment and Management of Symptoms Cédric PATERNOTTE Sorbonne Université
Sciences Normes Démocratie
Where do you want to die? From the dying person to the corpse, caring for them until the very end Constance MOREAL DE BREVANS Anthropology Social and cultural representations, End of life in a hospital/medical-social care facility, Care pathway Ghislaine GALLENGA Aix-Marseille Université
Institut d'Ethnologie et d'Anthropologie Sociale
Patients' Rights at the End of Life: An Analysis of the Legal Aspects Surrounding End-of-Life Medical Decisions Jean-François MBAYE Law Law and Legislation Jocelyn CLERCKX, Catherine PUIGELIER Université du Havre
Laboratoire de recherche en droits fondamentaux, échanges internationaux et de la mer
Personal Experiences and the Role of Grandparents in Coping with Perinatal Death Emmanuelle RACCAH Psychology Experiences and perceptions, Grief / Bereavement Anne-Sophie DEBORDE Université Paris 8
Paragraphe
Perceptions of Motherhood and Perinatal Bereavement in Mayotte Maureen LOIR-MONGAZON Psychology Grief / Bereavement Bérangère BEAUQUIER Université Paris Cité
Laboratoire Psychologie Clinique, Psychopathologie, Psychanalyse
Metaphors and neologisms related to perinatal death in Dutch-speaking Belgium Eline PUT Language sciences Experiences and perceptions, Grief / Bereavement Maarten LEMMENS Université de Lille
Savoirs, textes, langage
End-of-life issues in the law Inès ANELLO Law Law and Legislation Alain GUILLOTIN Aix-Marseille Université
Droits International, Comparé et Européen
How should we understand the request to die in the context of euthanasia legislation? Magali GAILLARDET Psychology Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide Johann YUNG Université Lumière Lyon 2
Centre de Recherche en Psychopathologie et Psychologie Clinique
Mourning in the Law Clara PINSARD Law Grief / Bereavement, Law and Legislation Anne-Marie LAROYER Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne
Institut de recherche juridique de la Sorbonne
The Same Death for Everyone? An Investigation into the Circumstances of Death in the ICU Hélène MARCOULT Sociology End of life in a hospital/medical-social care facility Julien BERNARD Université Paris Nanterre
Laboratoire de sociologie, philosophie et anthropologie politiques
When requests for assisted dying challenge the medical profession: what impact will this have on future medical practices? Ethics Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide, Ethical issues Marta SPRANZI INSERM/Université Paris Saclay/UVSQ/Hôpital Paul Brousse
Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations
Contact with the deceased and mental health: an exploratory study of the clinical implications of spontaneous and induced necrophanic experiences Romain JALLET Psychology Psychological and existential suffering Renaud EVRARD Université de Lorraine
Laboratoire de psychologie de l'interaction et des relations intersubjectives
Legalization of euthanasia: an ethical dilemma for healthcare providers Khaoula CHERQUAOUI Psychology Ethical issues, Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide Dolores ALBARRACIN Université de Poitiers
Clinique de l'Acte et Psychosexualité
Evaluation of the implementation process for a complex rehabilitation intervention in palliative oncology: evaluation of the INSPIRE intervention Julia ROMEYER Oncology, Palliative care Assessment of professional practices/systems/tools and scales Olivier GLEHEN, Vahan KEPENEKIAN Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Centre pour l’Innovation en Cancérologie de Lyon
The Philosophy of Grief: Experiences and Testimonies of Grief ε. Osmar uriel RAMIREZ GOMEZ Philosophy Grief / Bereavement Francisco NAISHAT Université Paris 8
Laboratoires d'études et de recherches sur les logiques contemporaines de la philosophie
APSY-SED Study: Psychological adjustment of family members and healthcare professionals caring for cancer patients for whom deep, continuous sedation until death is being considered Psychology, Oncology, Palliative care Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide, Grief / Bereavement, Sedation, Limitations and discontinuation of treatment, Experiences and perceptions, End of life in a hospital/medical-social care facility Léonor FASSE, Cécile FLAHAULT Institut Gustave Roussy - Université Paris Cité
Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé
Declaring death in emergency medicine following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a balance between action, knowledge, communication, and expertise Sabine LEMOINE Ethics Ethical issues Marie-France MAMZER-BRUNEEL Université Paris Cité
Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers
End of Life: The Psychological Determinants of Decision-Making in a Context of Distress Psychology Decision-making processes Axelle VAN LANDER, Virginie GUASTELLA Université Clermont Auvergne
Unité de Recherche AutomédiCation aCcompagnement Pluriprofessionnel PatienT

Theses defended since 2019

91 thesis(es)
Thesis title Year PhD candidate Discipline(s) Research topic(s) Supervisor Institution / Laboratory
Suffering and Palliative Care. Research on the relationship between representations and perceptions of meaning, temporality, and attitudes toward death in end-of-life care. Bruno KUETE Philosophy, Ethics Ethical issues, Psychological and existential suffering Jacques CHATUÉ, Laurent DENIZEAU Université Catholique de Lyon et Université de Dschang
CONFLUENCE : Sciences et Humanités
The Subjectivity of Care in the Face of Death. Psychology Experiences and perceptions Hélène RIAZUELO Université Paris Nanterre
Clinique, Psychanalyse, Développement
The "near-death" experience: a phenomenology of reality Olivier DELPORTE - FONTAINE Ethics Experiences and perceptions, Ethical issues Pascal NOUVEL Université de Tours
Education, Ethique, Santé
From Grief to Career Change: How Personal, Grief-Inducing Events Affect Professional Life Lidiia PLETNEVA Management sciences Grief / Bereavement Anca METIU ESSEC Business School
Coming to Terms with the Impending Death: An Ethnography of Grief in Nursing Homes (2016–2021). Catherine MAURIZE Sociology Social and cultural representations, End of life in a hospital/medical-social care facility Bertrand RAVON Université Lumière Lyon 2
Centre Max Weber
Communication and Palliative Care: The Existential Dimension as a Form of Mediation Information and communication sciences Communication, Experiences and perceptions Patrick BAUDRY Université Bordeaux-Montaigne
Médiations, Informations, Communication, Arts
The Legal Status of Human Remains: A Comparative Study Jordy BONY Law Law and Legislation Jérémy HEYMANN Université Lumière Lyon 2
Transversales
Orthotics for Independence Philosophy Ethical issues Eric FIAT Université Paris Est
Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire d'Etude du Politique Hannah Arendt
The Role of Next of Kin in Presumed Consent for Postmortem Organ Donation Antoine BAUMANN Ethics Ethical issues, Organ donation and removal, Support for relatives and carers Frédérique CLAUDOT, Gérard AUDIBERT Université de Lorraine
Interdisciplinarité en Santé Publique, Interventions & Instruments de Mesure Complexes
Euthanasia and the "Art of Dying": An Anthropological Study of Euthanasia Practices in Belgium Choé VALLÉE Anthropology Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide Laurence HÉRAULT Aix-Marseille Université
Institut d'ethnologie méditerranéenne
Talking About Death in Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities: Toward a Psychological Understanding of Residents’ Attitudes Toward Life and Death Psychology Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide, End of life in a hospital/medical-social care facility, Experiences and perceptions Magali BONNET, Dario SPINI Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté
Laboratoire de Psychologie
Words and Silences at the End of Life: A Study of Memories and the Implementation of Support Based on Life Review for Palliative Care Patients Psychology Experiences and perceptions, Care pathway, Patient support Greg DECAMPS, Kamel GANA Université de Bordeaux
Laboratoire de Psychologie
The Swan Song: An Exploratory Approach to the Clinical Implications of Terminal Lucidity Psychology Experiences and perceptions, Ethical issues Marie-Frédérique BACQUÉ, Renaud EVRARD Université de Lorraine
Laboratoire de psychologie de l'interaction et des relations intersubjectives
Building a Family After the Death of a Child: A Sociological Study of Grief Lucie JEGAT Sociology Grief / Bereavement Gaelle CLAVANDIER École normale supérieure (ENS) de Lyon
Centre Max Weber
Ending Life: A Legal and Ethical Study, Europe & the United States Wadiaa ISHAC Law Law and Legislation, Death wish / Euthanasia / Assisted suicide Laurent MAYALI École Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE)
Laboratoire d'Etudes sur les Monothéismes
Care pathways for older adults starting from the acute geriatric unit: risk factors identified through analyses of the DAMAGE cohort Guillaume DESCHASSE Public Health Care pathway François PUISIEUX, Frédéric BLOCH Université de Lille
Metrics : évaluation des technologies de santé et des pratiques médicales
Discursive Positions in the Public Debate on End-of-Life Care: Generic Variations Between (Inter)subjectivity and Interdiscursivity Claudia CAGNINELLI Language sciences Analysis of the public debate Julien LONGHI , Chiara PREITE CY Cergy Paris Université
Laboratoire de recherche civilisations, identités culturelles, textes et francophonie
Death, anxiety, time. End-of-life care: the reality of death in the future tense Maiwenn BEQUET Psychology Psychological and existential suffering, Assessment and Management of Symptoms Alain ABELHAUSER Université de Rennes 2
Recherches en psychopathologie, nouveaux symptômes et lien social
Supporting Those Who Are Grieving: Pastoral Challenges and Issues Related to the Central Message of the New Evangelization—"The Death and Resurrection of Christ" Sébastien LAOUER Theology Grief / Bereavement, Support for relatives and carers Christine AULENBACHER Université de Strasbourg
Laboratoire Théologie catholique et Sciences religieuses
The psychological dynamics of chronic dialysis patients when drafting advance directives Salma AMAMOU Psychology Advance planning / Advance directives, Limitations and discontinuation of treatment Marie-Frédérique BACQUÉ Université de Strasbourg
Subjectivité, lien social et modernité

If you notice any inaccuracies in these two lists, if you would like to report a thesis to us or have yours included, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Last updated: July 2026

 

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For practice theses

Vigipallia is the documentary portal of the Centre national Soins palliatifs et Fin de vie (CNSPFV). It lists digitized dissertations and theses related to end-of-life and palliative care.

Consult Vigipallia

Useful links

This list features portals offering international access to digital theses:

  • DART-Europe: European theses portal, is the result of a partnership of research libraries and library consortia working together to improve global access to European theses
  • Theses Canada Portal: enables users to locate theses and dissertations written at Canadian universities
  • RERODOC: electronic library of the RERO network in French-speaking Switzerland
  • UK e-Theses Online Service (EThOS) : service provided by the British Library, offering a single point of access to theses submitted at the majority of UK universities
  • DIVA: database of theses and research papers from Scandinavian universities
  • Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD): portal set up by the library of Wake Forest University (USA), which harvests several international directories of open access electronic theses
  • Trove: portal providing access to Australian digital theses