title: The Effectiveness of Group Intervention on Enhancing Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Breast Cancer Patients: A 2-Year Follow-up.
abstract: Purpose To evaluate the long-term effect of group intervention on enhancing cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies in female patients with early-stage breast cancer. Methods The sample included 174 patients who were diagnosed with early-to-mid stage breast cancer, completed adjuvant therapy, and agreed to fill out demographic and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaires (CERQ). About half of the patients (86, 49.4%) chose to participate in an 8-session group intervention (intervention group) while the others (88, 50.6%) did not (comparison group). The structured intervention for enhancing coping strategies with special emphasis on emotion regulation was conducted at the oncology unit at Rabin Medical Center by 2 experienced therapists. Preliminary effects on CER evaluated 6, 12, and 24 months postintervention were compared to the CER of a group of patients that opted not to participate in the group intervention. Results In the intervention group, the long-term effect (from baseline to 24 months) was assessed using the mix models module. Significant interaction effects were found for both the Negative CER scales (F(3, 268  ,404) = 3.66, P = .01) and for the Positive CER scales (F(3, 271  ,660) = 5.12, P = .002). No statistically significant differences in socio-demographic characteristics and medical variables were observed between the intervention and comparison groups. Conclusion Our findings indicate that a group intervention aimed at empowerment of coping strategies had positive long-term outcomes that reinforce adaptive coping strategies and improve less effective strategies of cognitive emotion regulation.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel razizik@bezeqint.net.
authors.forename: Yaira
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamama-Raz
authors.affiliation: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pat-Horenczyk
authors.affiliation: Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ziv
authors.affiliation: Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bar-Levav
authors.affiliation: Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Salomon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stemmer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: breast cancer; cognitive emotion regulation; coping; group intervention