A Naturalistic Evaluation of Psychosocial Interventions for Cancer Patients in a Community Setting

Abstract

We used a naturalistic methodology to examine associations between change in cancer patients' emotional functioning and their use of interventions in a community organization. One-hundred ninety-two patients completed measures at baseline and 6 months later. During this time, they utilized the organization's various interventions as they wished. Attendance at educational events was associated with decreased well-being. Use of art therapy groups was not associated with decreases in negative emotion but was consistently associated with increases in positive emotion. Improved functioning on some measures was associated with use of psychoeducational groups, expressive/supportive groups, movement classes, healing arts, and a buddy-matching service.

Multilevel Interventions: Measurement and Measures

“…A number of studies intervened with groups or organizations. However, they did not identify groups or organization as an intervention target nor did they measure any group or organization-level phenomena (18,19,24,29,30,32,40,49,50); they merely measured patient outcomes, sometimes aggregated to the group or organization level.…”

“…Validity also may be approached somewhat differently in multilevel intervention studies; external validity may be emphasized over internal validity. See Shapiro et al (40) for an example where the focus was on external validity in a study of intervention services as routinely delivered within a community.…”

“…Although 29 different established measurement scales were used in the 12 studies, the most frequently used scales were health-related quality-of-life instruments, such as the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer or Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (35,(38)(39)(40)(41); depression instruments, such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (38,40,41) or Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (37,40,42); and fatigue scales, such as Brief Fatigue Inventory or Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (21,28). Supplementary Appendix E (available online) has a complete list of these measures.…”

Psychosocial adjustment to cancer and its associated factors in patients undergoing chemotherapy: A cross-sectional study

“…Hund et al (2015) reported that most people with poorer education were females, and those with metastatic tumors have lower levels of adjustment (Hund et al, 2016). Brunault et al investigated and confirmed the negative effects of major depression and young age on adjustment (Brunault et al, 2015), and Jeremy et al also demonstrated the effect of reproach and surrender on poor adjustment (Shapiro et al, 2010).…”

“…Drageset et al (2015) considered intimate family relationships, positive thinking, physical activity, self-care, nature, hobbies, and jobs (Drageset et al, 2016). Moreover, Jeremy et al (2015) considered acceptance of the disease and humor (Shapiro et al, 2010) and Gonzales et al (2015) considered emotional support, religious/spiritual strategies, benefit, belief in destiny, optimism, denial, distraction, and a fighting information-seeking spirit as factors affecting a patient's adjustment to cancer (Gonzales et al, 2015;Gonzalez et al, 2016). Hund et al (2015) reported that most people with poorer education were females, and those with metastatic tumors have lower levels of adjustment (Hund et al, 2016).…”