Effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for women with rheumatoid arthritis.
The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral nursing intervention for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ninety adult women with RA participated in 1 of 14 nurse-led groups over an 18-month period. Personal coping resources, pain-coping behaviors, psychological well-being, and disease symptomatology were measured at four time periods. There were significant changes on all of the measures of personal coping resources (p < .001) and psychological well-being (p < .05), half of the pain-coping behaviors (p < .05), and one indicator of disease symptomatology (fatigue, p < .05) from pre- to postintervention. Furthermore, the positive changes brought about by the program were maintained over the 3-month follow-up period. The intervention may be adapted to benefit individuals with a variety of stressful medical conditions.
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing & Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
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Sinclair
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Wallston
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Dwyer
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Blackburn
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Fuchs
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009736:Nursing Process; D013714:Tennessee; D016387:Women's Health