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Background The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors (MCGP-CS) to improve personal meaning, compared to supportive group psychotherapy (SGP) and care as usual (CAU). Methods A total of 170 cancer survivors were randomly assigned to one of the three study arms: MCGP-CS (n = 57), SGP (n = 56), CAU (n = 57). Primary outcome measure was Personal Meaning Profile (total score PMP). Secondary outcome measures were subscales of the PMP, psychological well-being (SPWB), posttraumatic growth (PTGI), mental adjustment to cancer (MAC), optimism (LOT-R), hopelessness (BHS), psychological distress (anxiety and depression, HADS), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30). Outcome measures were assessed before randomization, post-intervention, after three and six months follow-up (FU). Results Linear mixed model analyses (intention-to-treat) showed significant differences between MCGP-CS, SGP and CAU on the total PMP score, and on (sub)scales of the PMP, SPWB, MAC, and HADS. Post-hoc analyses showed significantly stronger treatment effects of MCGP-CS compared to CAU on personal meaning (d=0.81), goal-orientedness (d=1.07), positive relations (d=0.59), purpose in life (d=0.69); fighting spirit (d=0.61) (post-intervention), helpless/hopeless (d=−0.87) (3 months FU); distress (d=−0.6) and depression (d=−0.38) (6 months FU). Significantly stronger effects of MCGP-CS compared to SGP were found on personal growth (d=0.57) (3 months FU), and environmental mastery (d=0.66) (6 months FU). Conclusions MCGP-CS is an effective intervention for cancer survivors to improve personal meaning, psychological well-being and mental adjustment to cancer in the short term, and to reduce psychological distress in the long run.

Introduction: The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is a patient-reported outcome measure measuring female sexual dysfunction. The FSFI-19 was developed with 6 theoretical subscales in 2000. In 2010, a shortened version became available (FSFI-6). Aim: To investigate the measurement properties of the FSFI-19 and FSFI-6. Methods: A systematic search was performed of Embase, Medline, and Web of Science for studies that investigated measurement properties of the FSFI-19 or FSFI-6 up to April 2018. Data were extracted and analyzed according to COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Evidence was categorized into sufficient, insufficient, inconsistent, or indeterminate, and quality of evidence as very high, high, moderate, or low. Main Outcome Measures: The Main Outcome Measure is the evidence of a measurement property, and the quality of evidence based on the COSMIN guidelines. Results: 83 studies were included. Concerning the FSFI-19, the evidence for internal consistency was sufficient and of moderate quality. The evidence for reliability was sufficient but of low quality. The evidence for criterion validity was sufficient and of high quality. The evidence for structural validity was inconsistent of low quality. The evidence for construct validity was inconsistent of moderate quality. Concerning the FSFI-6, the evidence for criterion validity was sufficient of moderate quality. The evidence for internal consistency was rated as indeterminate. The evidence for reliability was inconsistent of low quality. The evidence for construct validity was inconsistent of very low quality. No information was available on structural validity of the FSFI-6, and measurement error, responsiveness, and cross-cultural validity of both FSFI-6 and FSFI-19. Clinical Implications: Conflicting and lack of evidence for some of the measurement properties of the FSFI-19 and FSFI-6 indicates the importance of further research on the validity of these patient-reported outcome measures. We advise researchers who use the FSFI-19 to perform confirmatory factor analyses and report the factor structure found in their sample. Regardless of these concerns, the FSFI-19 and FSFI-6 have strong criterion validity. Pragmatically, they are good screening tools for the current definition of female sexual dysfunction. Strength & Limitation: A strong point of the review is the use of predefined guidelines. A limitation is the use of a precise rather than a sensitive search filter. Conclusions: The FSFI requires more research on structural validity (FSFI-19 and FSFI-6), reliability (FSFI-6), construct validity (FSFI-19), measurement error (FSFI-19 and FSFI-6), and responsiveness

The presence of PTG in this population of distressed HNC survivors was low. PTG occurred most in the domain of relating to others. Among distressed HNC survivors, higher PTG was associated with lower tumor stage, absence of an anxiety disorder, absence of an alcohol use disorder, and better social functioning. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

BackgroundResearch on depression stigma is needed to gain more insight into the underlying construct and to reduce the level of stigma in the community. However, few validated measurements of depression stigma are available in the Netherlands. Therefore, this study first sought to examine the psychometric properties of the Dutch translation of the Depression Stigma Scale (DSS). Second, we examined which demographic (gender, age, education, partner status) and other variables (anxiety and knowledge of depression) are associated with personal and perceived stigma within these samples.MethodsThe study population consisted of an adult convenience sample (n = 253) (study 1) and a community adult sample with elevated depressive symptoms (n = 264) (study 2). Factor structure, internal consistency, and validity were assessed. The associations between stigma, demographic variables and anxiety level were examined with regression analyses.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis supported the validity and internal consistency of the DSS personal stigma scale. Internal consistency was sufficient (Cronbach’s alpha = .70 (study 1) and .77 (study 2)). The results regarding the perceived stigma scale revealed no clear factor structure. Regression analyses showed that personal stigma was higher in younger people, those with no experience with depression, and those with lower education.ConclusionsThis study established the validity and internal consistency of the DSS personal scale in the Netherlands, in a community sample and in people with elevated depressive symptoms. However, additional research is needed to examine the factor structure of the DSS perceived scale and its use in other samples.

Introduction: The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) is a patient-reported outcome measure to evaluate erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in men. Aim: To perform a systematic review of the measurement properties of the 15-item patient-reported outcome measure (IIEF-15) and the shortened 5-item version (IIEF-5). Methods: A systematic search of scientific literature up to April 2018 was performed. Data were extracted and analyzed according to COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines for structural validity, internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, hypothesis testing for construct validity, and responsiveness. Evidence of measurement properties was categorized into sufficient, insufficient, inconsistent, or indeterminate, and quality of evidence as very high, high, moderate, or low. Results: 40 studies were included. The evidence for criterion validity (of the Erectile Function subscale), and responsiveness of the IIEF-15 was sufficient (high quality), but inconsistent (moderate quality) for structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. Evidence for structural validity, testretest reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity of the IIEF-5 was sufficient (moderate quality) but indeterminate for internal consistency, measurement error, and responsiveness. Clinical Implications: Lack of evidence for and evidence not supporting some of the measurement properties of the IIEF-15 and IIEF-5 shows the importance of further research on the validity of these questionnaires in clinical research and clinical practice. Strengths & Limitations: A strength of the current review is the use of predefined guidelines (COSMIN). A limitation of this review is the use of a precise rather than a sensitive search filter regarding measurement properties to identify studies to be included. Conclusion: The IIEF requires more research on structural validity (IIEF-15), internal consistency (IIEF-15 and IIEF-5), construct validity (IIEF-15), measurement error (IIEF-15 and IIEF-5), and responsiveness (IIEF-5). The most pressing matter for future research is determining the unidimensionality of the IIEF-5 and the exact factor structure of the IIEF-15. Neijenhuijs KI, Holtmaat K, Aaronson NK, et al. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties. J Sex Med 2019;16:1078e1091.

Objective This study systematically reviewed the association of psychological problems among cancer patients with healthcare and societal resource use and costs. Methods PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase were searched (until 31 January 2021) for studies on psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, distress, fear of recurrence) or psychiatric disorders (anxiety, depression, adjustment) and healthcare use (e.g., mental, inpatient healthcare), economic losses by patients and family, economic losses in other sectors (e.g., absence from work), and costs. The search, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two authors. Results Of the 4157 identified records, 49 articles were included (psychological symptoms (n = 34), psychiatric disorders (n = 14), both (n = 1)) which focused on healthcare use (n = 36), economic losses by patients and family (n = 5), economic losses in other sectors (n = 8) and/or costs (n = 13). In total, for 12 of the 94 associations strong evidence was found. Psychological symptoms and psychiatric disorders were positively associated with increased healthcare use (mental, primary, inpatient, outpatient healthcare), losses in other sectors (absence from work), and costs (inpatient, outpatient, total healthcare costs). Moderate evidence was found for a positive association between (any) psychiatric disorder and depression disorder with inpatient healthcare and medication use, respectively. Conclusions Psychological problems in cancer patients are associated with increased healthcare use, healthcare costs and economic losses. Further research is needed on psychological problems in relation to understudied healthcare use or costs categories, productivity losses, and informal care costs.

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