Group support for patients with metastatic cancer. A randomized outcome study.
01 May 1981-Archives of General Psychiatry (American Medical Association)-Vol. 38, Iss: 5, pp 527-533
TL;DR: Objective evidence is provided that a supportive group intervention for patients with metastatic cancer results in psychological benefit and mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of this group intervention are explored.
Abstract: • The effects of weekly supportive group meetings for women with metastatic carcinoma of the breast were systematically evaluated in a one-year, randomized, prospective outcome study. The groups focused on the problems of terminal illness, including improving relationships with family, friends, and physicians and living as fully as possible in the face of death. We hypothesized that this intervention would lead to improved mood, coping strategies, and self-esteem among those in the treatment group. Eighty-six patients were tested at four-month intervals. The treatment group had significantly lower mooddisturbance scores on the Profile of Mood States scale, had fewer maladaptive coping responses, and were less phobic than the control group. This study provides objective evidence that a supportive group intervention for patients with metastatic cancer results in psychological benefit. Mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of this group intervention are explored.
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01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: It appeared that in the period shortly after surgery, coping style, especially illness specific coping, is of high relevance for psychosocial adjustment, and the positive role of social support found in other studies on psychossocial adjustment was not confirmed.
Abstract: In many women, the diagnosis of breast cancer leads to psychosocial adjustment problems. Biodemographic variables, coping and social support are factors which influence psychosocial adjustment. The main objective of the present study was to identify and estimate the associations between psychosocial adjustment and biodemographic variables, coping and social support by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Eighty-seven women with newly diagnosed early stage breast cancer completed several questionnaires covering these areas. It appeared that in the period shortly after surgery, coping style, especially illness specific coping, is of high relevance for psychosocial adjustment. In our study, we could not confirm the positive role of social support found in other studies on psychosocial adjustment. Biodemographic variables had both direct and indirect associations with psychosocial adjustment: Older women and women who had had breast-conserving treatment used a more optimistic coping style; the latter group also reported higher body image. Finally, women with a more advanced stage of disease reported a reduction in recreational activities. Early stage breast cancer: Explaining level of psychosocial adjustment 25
4 citations
Cites background or result from "Group support for patients with met..."
...Some studies are limited to patients who are newly diagnosed [8,11,22,23] or to patients who recently had surgery [15], while in other studies time since diagnoses was not an in- or exclusion criterion [7,12,22,24]....
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...Randomised studies with higher participation rates usually do not describe how many eligible patients were invited to participate or how many eligible patients were reached by other means [12,15,18,43]....
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...Positive results were reported by Spiegel and co-workers [12]....
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...These studies do not only report changes over time, but also in comparison with a control group [12,15,18]....
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TL;DR: SEGT resulted in improved mood states and coping in male GI cancer patients; however, there was no change in measures of QoL.
Abstract: An increasing number of gastrointestinal cancer (GI) patients suffer from side effects of cancer treatment that can affect their mood states and quality of life. Despite its demonstrated effectiveness in female cancer patients, Supportive Expressive Group Therapy (SEGT) has not been tested in male cancer patients. The current study sought to examine the longitudinal effects of a professionally-led, men-only SEGT on mood states, coping, and quality of life (QoL) in male GI cancer patients. A sample of male GI cancer patients (n = 31), at different stages of cancer treatment, was recruited from an ongoing, men-only biweekly GI cancer SEGT. Data were collected at baseline (before or near the beginning of group attendance) and at three months and six months follow-up. All study outcomes were patient-reported and included socio-demographic data as well as validated questionnaires: Profile of Mood States (POMS) for mood states, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) for QoL, and Ways of Coping-Cancer Version (WOC) for coping. Linear mixed models were used to examine the change in outcomes over time. Effect sizes were estimated using Cohen’s d. The Anxiety (p = .04; d = 0.70), Depression (p = .03; d = 0.93) and Anger (p = .04; d = 1.28) subscales of the POMS decreased between baseline and six months. Participants also reported improvements in coping through Distancing (distancing oneself from negative thoughts, being more accepting of the situation, and looking for positives) of the WOC (p = .04; d = 0.4) between baseline and six months. There was no change in any of the FACT subscales (QoL) over time. This is the first study to investigate the effects of a SEGT intervention in male cancer patients. Participation in the intervention was associated with improved mood states and coping in male GI cancer patients; however, there was no change in measures of QoL.
4 citations
TL;DR: Results from MMHLQ can be used to adjust the PSG curriculum to improve the health literacy of participants and the elderly participants showed lower abilities in health literacy, especially with the dimension of the appraisal.
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TL;DR: This study found that mostly young females, who had dealt with the issues of disclosure of their diagnosis to a family member or friend, joined the support group with the expectation of receiving emotional support and education.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to describe the demographics, clinical characteristics and expectations of the members of a newly established support group for HIV positive mentally ill patients. The factors associated with disclosure of status and expectations of the group, were also to be determined. All mental health care users, aged 18 years and older, with HIV and admitted to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHBH) between March and June 2008 were invited to participate in the support group at Luthando Psychiatric HIV clinic. All the members of the support group were asked to complete a questionnaire at the first group session they attended. The questions related to demographic data (age, gender, home language, employment status, marital status, level of education, number of children); clinical data [past psychiatric illness; current diagnosis, on Antiretroviral treatment (ART)]; if they had disclosed their HIV status and the expectations of the members of the group were collected. All fifty members of the support group volunteered to complete the questionnaire resulting in a 100% response rate. The majority of the subjects were in the age range 26 - 35 years (44%); female (78%); single (88%); had 2 or more children (71%); had less than a grade 10 level of education (44%) and were unemployed (68%). The common spoken first languages of the subjects were Zulu (34%) and Tswana (20%). Only 6% of the subjects reported English as their first language. Approximately two thirds (60%) of the subjects had been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness. The current diagnoses of the members of the group included mood or psychotic symptoms secondary to HIV (25%); bipolar disorder (33%); anxiety disorders (3%) and schizophrenia (3%). Only one third of the group had been commenced on antiretroviral treatment (ARV) treatment. Two out of every three members (68%) in the group were aware of their HIV status for longer than six months. The majority (70%) of the members of the group had disclosed their status either to a family member of friend. The common expectations of the group included education (36%) and support (32%), whilst 32% had other expectations or were unsure of their expectations. This study found that mostly young females, who had dealt with the issues of disclosure of their diagnosis to a family member or friend, joined the support group with the expectation of receiving emotional support and education. The inability of individuals to cope with the burden of HIV and AIDS and a co-morbid mental illness may be associated with feelings of hopelessness and a depressed mood which may lead to decreased adherence to medication regimes, suppression of immunity and accelerated disease progression. This may also be closely associated with HIV transmission risk behaviours and increased risk of suicide attempts. It is imperative that all mentally ill patients with HIV and AIDS receiving ART be a member of a support group as it will help improve adherence and functioning.
4 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors have used self-report measures about interpersonal abilities, fears and relaxing ability, to assess the effectiveness of the therapy program and found that the program was moderately effective in order to improve problem solving abilities, showing a relative effectiveness in reducing fears and increasing relaxing ability.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to improve cancer patients’ psychological adjustment to disease, by enhancing their cognitive skills. The results with the application of a problem solving abilities training program, are presented. The sample has been formed by 46 cancer patients, 33 were randomized to therapy group and 13 to control group. We have used self-report measures about interpersonal abilities, fears and relaxing ability, to assess the effectiveness of the therapy program. Results demonstrated that the program was moderately effective in order to improve problem solving abilities, showing a relative effectiveness in reducing fears and in increasing relaxing ability.
4 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of reward or reinforcement on preceding behavior depend in part on whether the person perceives the reward as contingent on his own behavior or independent of it, and individuals may also differ in generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement.
Abstract: The effects of reward or reinforcement on preceding behavior depend in part on whether the person perceives the reward as contingent on his own behavior or independent of it. Acquisition and performance differ in situations perceived as determined by skill versus chance. Persons may also differ in generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. This report summarizes several experiments which define group differences in behavior when Ss perceive reinforcement as contingent on their behavior versus chance or experimenter control. The report also describes the development of tests of individual differences in a generalized belief in internal-external control and provides reliability, discriminant validity and normative data for 1 test, along with a description of the results of several studies of construct validity.
21,451 citations
Book•
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01 Jan 1969
TL;DR: In this article, the implications of terminal illness for patients and for those involved in their care were discussed, and patients invited to talk about their experience found great relief in expressing their fear and anger and were able to move towards a state of acceptance and peace.
Abstract: Although most areas of human experience are nowadays discussed freely and openly, the subject of death is still surrounded by conventional attitudes and reticence that offer only fragile comfort because they evade the real issues. The dying may thus be denied the opportunity of sharing their feelings and discussing their needs with family, friends, or hospital staff. Although receiving devoted medical care, a dying patient is often socially isolated and avoided, since professional staff and students can find contact painful and embarrasing.
Aware of the strains imposed on all sides by this situation, Dr Kubler-Ross established a seminar at the University of Chicago to consider the implications of terminal illness for patients and for those involved in their care. Patients invited to talk about their experience often found great relief in expressing their fear and anger and were able to move towards a state of acceptance and peace. The seminar, initially composed of students of medicine, sociology, psychology, and theology, but later joined by hospital staff and relatives of patients, enabled many members to come to terms with their own feelings and to respond constructi to what the patients had to teach them.
5,220 citations
3,765 citations
1,254 citations
TL;DR: A study of 800 outpatient visits to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles as discussed by the authors explored the effect of verbal interaction between doctor and patient on patient satisfaction and follow-through on follow-up.
Abstract: Study of 800 outpatient visits to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles to explore the effect of the verbal interaction between doctor and patient on patient satisfaction and follow-through on...
947 citations