Long-Term Effect of Receiving a Family Strengths-Oriented Intervention on Family Cancer Caregiver Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Symptoms: A Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

The aim of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the long-term effects of providing a therapeutic conversation intervention, based on Family Systems Nursing, to family caregivers of a close relative with advanced cancer over the period before and during bereavement. To prevent adverse outcomes, caregivers need ongoing support that begins pre-loss and extends into the post-loss period. This study employed a one-group pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental design. Twenty-four caregivers participated in two intervention trials conducted over a 42-month period, receiving two intervention sessions pre-loss (Trial 1) and one intervention session post-loss (Trial 2). Significant decreases in anxiety and stress were noted over the three post-loss assessments. The final post-loss stress outcome was significantly lower than the first pre-loss score. For the depression score, there was not a significant change over time within the pre- or post-loss period. The findings provide evidence of decreasing anxiety and stress following the implementation of an extended family nursing intervention for bereaved family caregivers.

Nurses' attitudes towards family importance in nursing care across Europe

“…Nurses' attitudes in various populations and healthcare settings have been studied. For instance in paediatric care in Switzerland (Naef et al, 2020), surgical and psychiatric care in Iceland (Blöndal et al, 2014; Petursdottir et al, 2021) and Portugal (Fernandes et al, 2018), critical and emergency care in Scotland and Iceland (Hallgrimsdottir, 2004), intensive care in Israel (Ganz & Yoffe, 2012), hospital and oncology care in Spain (Alfaro Díaz et al, 2019), cardiovascular care in various Scandinavian countries and Belgium (Luttik et al, 2017; Shamali et al, 2021) and transitional care in Canada (Hoplock et al, 2019). Overall, these studies indicate positive attitudes regarding the involvement of family in nursing care, with differences in demographic factors such as gender, age, work experience, educational level and workplace.…”