Evaluation of adjuvant psychological therapy for clinically referred cancer patients
1991

Evaluation of Psychological Therapy for Cancer Patients

Sample size: 44 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): S. Greer, S. Moorey, J. Baruch

Primary Institution: The Royal Marsden Hospital

Hypothesis

Can adjuvant psychological therapy improve the quality of life of cancer patients?

Conclusion

The study found significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and mental adjustment to cancer after psychological therapy.

Supporting Evidence

  • Patients showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores after therapy.
  • 48% of patients completed therapy and were discharged after 8 weeks.
  • Improvements were observed in mental adjustment categories such as fighting spirit and helplessness.

Takeaway

This study shows that talking to someone about your feelings can help cancer patients feel less sad and anxious.

Methodology

Patients completed self-report questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, and mental adjustment before and after receiving psychological therapy.

Potential Biases

The study may have bias due to the lack of a control group.

Limitations

The study was uncontrolled and did not include severely disabled patients.

Participant Demographics

{"age":{"mean":47.9,"range":"17-77"},"sex":{"male":14,"female":30},"marital_status":{"single":8,"married/cohabiting":29,"separate/divorced":6,"widowed":1}}

Statistical Information

P-Value

<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

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