Helping Her Heal: a pilot study of an educational counseling intervention for spouses of women with breast cancer

Lewis, Frances Marcus; Cochrane, Barbara B.; Fletcher, Kristin A.; Zahlis, Ellen H.; Shands, Mary Ellen; Gralow, Julie R.; Wu, Salene M.; Schmitz, Kris Ann

doi:10.1002/pon.1203

Cited by 59 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In-corporating sufficient information about treatment options as well as focusing decision support interventions on how patients and partners can obtain their desired amount of involvement in the decision process may reduce decision regret in couples, which ultimately may lead to better communication, less psychosocial distress, and better quality of life for both patients and their partners (Cochrane et al, 2011; Lewis et al, 2008; Northouse et al, 2010). The current study could be an opportunity for oncology nurses to improve the decision-making process for patients and partners.…”

Section: Implications For Nursing Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Racial and Ethnic Variation in Partner Perspectives About the Breast Cancer Treatment Decision-Making Experience

Lillie

Janz

Friese

et al. 2013

Oncology Nursing Forum

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Purpose/Objectives To characterize the perspectives of partners (husbands or significant others) of patients with breast cancer in the treatment decision-making process and to evaluate racial and ethnic differences in decision outcomes. Design A cross-sectional survey. Setting Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI. Sample 517 partners of a population-based sample of patients with breast cancer four years post-treatment. Methods A self-administered mailed questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between race and ethnicity and decision outcomes. Main Research Variables Decision regret and three elements of the decision process: information received, actual involvement, and desired involvement. Findings Most partners reported receiving sufficient information (77%), being involved in treatment decisions (74%), and having sufficient involvement (73%). Less-acculturated Hispanic partners were more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to report high decision regret (45% versus 14%, p < 0.001). Factors significantly associated (p < 0.05) with high decision regret were insufficient receipt of treatment information, low involvement in decision making, and a desire for more involvement. Conclusions Partners were generally positive regarding their perspectives about participating in the breast cancer treatment decision-making process. However, less acculturated Hispanic partners were most vulnerable to decision regret. In addition, high decision regret was associated with modifiable elements of the decision-making process. Implications for Nursing Attention should be paid to ensuring racial and ethnic minority partners are sufficiently involved in breast cancer treatment decisions and receive decision support.

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Section: Implications For Nursing Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Racial and Ethnic Variation in Partner Perspectives About the Breast Cancer Treatment Decision-Making Experience

Lillie

Janz

Friese

et al. 2013

Oncology Nursing Forum

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“…Although spouses are a key source of support, spouses may also experience their own distress associated with the diagnosis of breast cancer. In fact, studies suggest that approximately 20% of spouses report clinically-significant levels of depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems (Lewis et al, 2008). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A randomized clinical trial of a supportive versus a skill-based couple-focused group intervention for breast cancer patients.

Manne¹,

Siegel²,

Heckman³

et al. 2016

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

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Objective The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of the two types of couple-focused group interventions on couples’ psychological and relationship functioning, and to examine possible moderators for each intervention. Methods Three hundred and two women with early stage breast cancer who were recruited within one year of diagnosis and their spouses were randomly assigned to either an eight session enhanced couple-focused group intervention (ECG) or a couples’ support group (SG). Couples completed surveys at four time points: pre-intervention, one week post-group, six months, and one year. Results Analyses indicated that anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cancer-specific distress declined and positive well-being improved for couples enrolled in both ECG and SG. Thus, neither treatment was superior in terms of reduction of distress or improvements in positive well-being. Moderator effects indicated that, among patients reporting higher levels of cancer-specific pre-intervention distress, anxiety, depression, and well-being over the one year post-intervention time period were significantly lower among SG couples than ECG couples. When patient cancer-specific pre-intervention distress was low, these three outcomes were more positive in ECG relative to SG. A similar pattern with regard to anxiety was illustrated when the moderator effects for perceived partner unsupportive behavior was examined, and a similar pattern was seen for anxiety and well-being for pre-intervention marital satisfaction. Conclusions A couple-focused supportive group therapy may be more effective for distressed patients, whereas a structured, skills-based couples’ group therapy may be more effective for less distressed patients. Public Health Relevance This study highlights the importance of targeting different types of group therapy to cancer patients with different levels of distress.

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“…The present review also considered 12 non-RCT level III and IV studies, which did report positive results, across a range of domains. Psycho-education was reported to result in increased knowledge (Ferrell, Grant, Chan, Ahn, & Ferrell, 1995;Gagnon et al, 2002;Heinrich & Schag, 1985), improved self-efficacy in relation to coping (Lewis et al, 2008) or decision making (Gagnon et al, 2002), improved psychological well-being (Ferrell et al, 1995;Lewis et al, 2008) and reduction in caregiver burden (Pasacreta, Barg, Nuamah, & McCorkle, 2000). Problem solving interventions were reported to increase knowledge and problem solving ability (Bucher et al, 2001), and to reduce emotional tension (Cameron, Shin, Williams, & Stewart, 2004).…”

Section: Overview Of Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Evaluating the efficacy of psycho-social interventions for informal carers of cancer patients: a systematic review of the research literature

Ussher

Perz

Hawkins

et al. 2009

Health Psychology Review

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Recognition that informal cancer carers experience unmet needs and psychological distress has led to the development of a range of psycho-social interventions.The efficacy of such interventions is examined through a systematic review of the research literature, following National Health and Medical Research Council and Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Of 13 level II randomised controlled trials (RCTs), only eight showed significant differences across groups, with moderate effect size. This included improvement in caregiver experience or appraisal of caregiving following psycho-education (two studies); improved sexual satisfaction, dyadic coping, relationship quality and communication, or reduced psychological distress, following couple counselling (4); reduced distress following family grief therapy (1); and reduction in distress in bereavement following home palliative care (1). Level III and IV studies were also reviewed, reporting positive effects of psycho-education (5), problem solving (3), an arts intervention (1) and a support group (1). However, methodological concerns limit the generalisability of findings of level III and IV studies. It is concluded that interventions should target those most in need of support; recognise specific needs of carers across cancer type and stage, gender and relationship context; be theory based; and evaluations should utilise RCT designs with outcome measures appropriate to the specific aims of the intervention, rather than global measures of distress.

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Helping Her Heal: a pilot study of an educational counseling intervention for spouses of women with breast cancer

Cited by 59 publications

References 37 publications

Racial and Ethnic Variation in Partner Perspectives About the Breast Cancer Treatment Decision-Making Experience

Racial and Ethnic Variation in Partner Perspectives About the Breast Cancer Treatment Decision-Making Experience

A randomized clinical trial of a supportive versus a skill-based couple-focused group intervention for breast cancer patients.

Evaluating the efficacy of psycho-social interventions for informal carers of cancer patients: a systematic review of the research literature

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