title: Group psychotherapy of dysfunctional fear of progression in patients with chronic arthritis or cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the effectiveness of brief psychotherapeutic group interventions in reducing dysfunctional fear of disease progression (FoP). The interventions comprised either cognitive-behavioral group therapy or supportive-experiential group therapy. We tested whether these generic interventions would prove effective in different illness types.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic arthritis in- patients (n = 174) and cancer in-patients (n = 174), respectively, were randomized to receive one of the two interventions. The patients provided data before intervention, at discharge, and at 3 and 12 months of follow-up. FoP was the primary outcome, secondary outcomes were anxiety, depression and quality of life. A treatment-as-usual control group provided data on the primary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with chronic arthritis indicated higher levels of FoP than cancer patients. The results revealed that, compared with no specialized intervention, both group therapies were effective in reducing dysfunctional FoP, but only among cancer patients. The effect sizes were 0.54 (cognitive-behavioral therapy) and 0.50 (supportive experiential therapy). The interventions were not differently effective in reducing the secondary outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dysfunctional FoP can be effectively targeted with brief group interventions. Psychotherapeutic interventions for reducing FoP should focus on specific illness characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany. p.herschbach@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herschbach
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waadt
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Engst-Hastreiter
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Book
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dinkel
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology