Differential effects of cancer rehabilitation depending on diagnosis and patients' cognitive coping style.
OBJECTIVE
The major aim was to explore the extent to which the Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS) can be used to differentiate cancer patients who are likely to benefit from rehabilitation efforts with a strong information component from those who are not.


METHODS
Newly diagnosed patients with breast, gastrointestinal, or prostate cancer (N = 442) were included in a randomized, prospective study of the effects (on anxiety, depression, intrusion, avoidance) of rehabilitation approximately 4 months after diagnosis as compared with control patients. Patients were classified as "monitors" or "blunters" on the basis of the MBSS (368 patients, 83%, completed the MBSS).


RESULTS
The expected interaction at postintervention between coping style and experimental condition (ie, rehabilitation or control) was found only for avoidance among breast and prostate cancer patients. Assignment to the rehabilitation or control condition was of no importance for outcome among blunters. Among monitors, the response pattern differed between breast and prostate cancer patients. Prostate cancer monitors seemed to benefit from rehabilitation on all outcome measures, whereas intrusion and avoidance were reduced among breast cancer patients in the control condition. This interaction of diagnosis with condition (rehabilitation or control) among monitors is suggested to be due to demands for diagnosis-specific information during diagnostic work, in the period just after diagnosis, and before treatment decision.


CONCLUSIONS
Only the monitor concept seems useful for predicting response to cancer rehabilitation with a strong information component. However, whether rehabilitation is of benefit depends also on other factors.
Petersson
Lena-Marie
LM
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, Sweden. lena-marie.peterssin@pubcare.uu.se
Nordin
Karin
K
Glimelius
Bengt
B
Brekkan
Einar
E
Sjödén
Per-Olow
PO
Berglund
Gunilla
G
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales