Anxiety Levels, Group Characteristics, and Members’ Behaviors in the Termination Stage of Support Groups for Patients Recovering From Heart Attacks

Abstract

Objective: Examining the significance of the termination stage of support group activity and its effectiveness in alleviating anxiety among patients recovering from their first heart attack. Methods: 82 patients, 50 of whom participated in seven support groups, fill in questionnaires at six stages of the group intervention. Six observers conducted two stages of qualitative analysis of the groups'last meetings'videotapes. Results: The findings revealed a temporary increase in anxiety levels during the termination stage among the groups that effectively alleviated anxiety. These findings are partially explained by two components of the Group Environmental Scale: cohesiveness and task orientation. Resistance and ambivalence were typical behavior patterns of members at the termination stage of effective groups. Conclusions: Measuring group effectiveness before, during, and after the intervention enriches the knowledge of the correlation between group processes and group outcomes. Identifying behavior patterns contribute to social worker's online ability to evaluate group effectiveness.Theoretical approaches that have looked at the termination phase of a support group (Flapan & Fenchel, 1987;Keyton, 1993;Yalom, 1985) claim that particular experiences that are important to the health of individual group members are liable to arise at this stage of the group's development. These experiences concern separation, a sense of loss, abandonment anxiety, and an uncertainty regarding the future. These feelings are liable to upset emotional balance and increase the participants' anxiety levels (Eklof, 1984) thereby putting the efficacy of the group and its evaluation into question. Such questions are especially important when regarding patients recovering from heart attack whose principal purpose of attending support groups is to alleviate 656

Myocardial infarction: narrations by afflicted women and their partners of lived experiences in daily life following an acute myocardial infarction

“…, 2001), thus they denied it (Faller, 1990; Scherck, 1992; Sutherland & Jensen, 2000). The diagnosis of AMI could act as a reminder of what life is all about (Kacen, 1999).…”

Toward a New Understanding of Virtual Research Collaborations

“…For instance, when there is too much diversity 1 researchers establish cliques, stop communicating, and even disrupt each other’s efforts (Adamic & Glance, 2005; Stvilia, Twidale, Smith, & Gasser, 2008). Furthermore, scholars have investigated the performance (generally based on scholarly/nonscholarly production and adherence to budget and deadlines) of virtual teams (Ancona & Caldwell, 1992; Aubert & Kelsey, 2003; Janicik & Bartel, 2003; Jones et al, 2008; Kacen, 1999). Scholarly production is the gold standard, and there is a vast literature on coauthorship practices; however, its limitations have also been documented in information science.…”

Review of Outcomes of Cardiac Support Groups After Cardiac Events

“…In this process, eight articles were identified for inclusion. Two of the eight articles (Kacen, 1999;Schulz et al, 2008) were excluded because they lacked a control group. Also, three articles were regarded as one study because the same investigators wrote these articles based on a foundational study (Hildingh & Fridlund, 2001), with time points of the two follow-up studies as follows: one had follow-up at 3 and 12 months (Hildingh & Fridlund, 2003) and the other at 3, 12, and 36 months (Hildingh & Fridlund, 2004).…”

“…Indeed, there are fewer published articles on cardiac support group outcomes than articles related to outcomes of cancer support groups. Although articles describing outcomes of cardiac support group exist, most published studies do not report the effects of group participation on the reduction of anxiety, enhancement of QoL, or improved psychological adjustments or life situation (Dickerson, Wu, & Kennedy, 2006;Hildingh & Fridlund, 2004;Kacen, 1999;Molchany & Peterson, 1994). Because the content and methods of cardiac support groups vary according to providers hosting the group, it is difficult to know what are effective content inclusions and methods to best conduct cardiac support groups.…”