title: A pilot study of an intervention for breast cancer survivors and their spouses.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that interventions that increase breast cancer patients' communication with family members lead to reduced patient distress. In this article, we report on a treatment development and pilot study of an intervention for couples coping with breast cancer. In phase 1 of this study, 10 couples participated in two focus groups that generated ideas and themes for the intervention. In phase 2, we developed and pilot tested our intervention with 48 couples: 12 in a 2-session format, 21 in a 1-session format, and 15 in a non-experimental control group. Our response rate shows that breast cancer patients and spouses were willing to participate and that treatment providers were willing to refer patients and their spouses. The 2-session format showed the most promise for producing positive change in mental health functioning and cancer-related stress.
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester Center to Improve Communication in Health Care, Wynne Center for Family Research, 1381 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620, USA. Cleveland_Shields@URMC.Rochester.edu
authors.forename: Cleveland G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Sally J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rousseau
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*