Effects of two types of social support and education on adaptation to early-stage breast cancer.
A Roy adaptation model-based support and education intervention for women with early-stage breast cancer was tested in a three-group, three-phase randomized clinical trial of a sample of 125 women. The experimental group received 13 months of combined individual telephone and in-person group support and education, Control Group 1 received 13 months of telephone-only individual support and education, and Control Group 2 received one-time mailed educational information. The experimental group and Control Group 1 reported less mood disturbance at the end of all three phases, less loneliness at the end of Phases II and III, and a higher-quality relationship with a significant other at the end of Phase II than did Control Group 2. No group differences were found for cancer-related worry or well-being. The findings suggest that individual telephone support may provide an effective alternative to in-person support groups. Further study of telephone interventions is recommended using ethnically and economically heterogeneous samples.
Samarel
Nelda
N
William Paterson University of New Jersey, Wayne, NJ, USA.
Tulman
Lorraine
L
Fawcett
Jacqueline
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009515:New Jersey; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D013689:Telephone