This study examined associations between couple communication about cancer and psychological distress and relationship satisfaction of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. One hundred forty-eight couples completed a videotaped discussion of a cancer-related issue and a general issue. Patients completed measures of psychological distress and relationship satisfaction. Videotapes were coded with the Rapid Marital Interaction Coding System. Analyses focused on partner responses to patient self-disclosures. During cancer-issue discussions, patients reported less distress when partners responded to disclosures with reciprocal self-disclosure and humor and when partners were less likely to propose solutions. Fewer links between partner responses to patient self-disclosures and distress were found in general-issue discussions. Results suggest partner responses play a role in women's adaptation to breast cancer.
This study examined the efficacy of a couple-focused group intervention on psychological adaptation of women with early stage breast cancer and evaluated whether perceived partner unsupportive behavior or patient functional impairment moderated intervention effects. Two hundred thirty-eight women were randomly assigned to receive either 6 sessions of a couple-focused group intervention or usual care. Intent-to-treat growth curve analyses indicated that participants assigned to the couples' group reported lower depressive symptoms. Women rating their partners as more unsupportive benefited more from the intervention than did women with less unsupportive partners, and women with more physical impairment benefited more from the intervention group than did women with less impairment. Subgroup analyses comparing women attending the couple-focused group intervention with women not attending groups and with usual care participants indicated that women attending sessions reported significantly less distress than did women receiving usual care and women who dropped out of the intervention.
Purpose
This study examined the psychosocial adjustment and needs of family caregivers of head and neck cancer survivors at 6–24 months post-treatment.
Methods
Family caregivers of head and neck cancer survivors (N = 89) completed mailed questionnaires that assessed demographic variables, mental health, quality of life, and practical and informational needs.
Results
Thirty-eight percent of caregivers reported moderate to high distress. However, quality of life scores for the entire sample (N = 89) were better than the scores reported in initial validation studies on caregivers of patients undergoing active cancer treatment. Greater time spent caregiving was associated with worse psychological well-being, but also more positive adaptation to caregiving. In addition, 39% of caregivers reported that all of their practical and informational needs were being met.
Conclusions
Findings suggest that research and clinical efforts are needed to address the psychosocial concerns of this population.
This study examined interest in and barriers to participation in a multiple family group intervention (MFG) for adult cancer survivors and their family caregivers. The intervention was developed to assist families in coping with the persistent challenges of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Eighty eligible families having a member diagnosed and treated for cancers of the head and neck region completed a baseline quality of life survey consisting of standardized psychosocial measures, and then all patients and their families were invited to participate in a day-long multiple family group program. However, despite extensive recruitment efforts and accommodations to address anticipated barriers for nonparticipation, only 15 of the 80 (19%) eligible families agreed to attend the MFG workshop. Post-MFG, participating families reported high levels of program satisfaction and usefulness. These findings are discussed in the context of increasing the use of family-focused interventions in cancer care settings.
This study examined the role of family and friend support in moderating the association between partner unsupportive behaviors and avoidance coping and coping efficacy experienced by women with breast cancer. This study also evaluated whether partner unsupportive behaviors had an indirect effect on patient distress via patient avoidance coping and
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.