title: Skills, knowledge and attributes of support group leaders: A systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A systematic review and qualitative synthesis was undertaken to deduce requisite knowledge, skills and attributes of cancer support group leaders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, CINAHL, and PsychINFO databases were used to identify relevant literature. Inclusion criteria were made deliberately broad after pilot searches produced too few documents and included: adult group leaders who were volunteers, peers or professionals; published in English from database inception to February 2014. Data was extracted on: year of publication; country of authors' origin; study design (if relevant) and methods; group type and group leadership; sample description; and leader qualities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine documents met inclusion criteria. Fourteen reported on cancer groups, 31 on non-cancer groups (including four mixed groups) and four did not specify group type. Seven qualities were deduced including group management, group process, role modelling, awareness, willingness, agreeableness, and openness. These were consistent across group type and group leadership.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings may be relevant to a general model of peer group support and can inform the development of a practical and realistic minimum standard for support group leadership in healthcare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results can be used to help cancer agencies manage relationships with group leaders. Knowledge of requisite qualities may inform selection, training and support.
authors.affiliation: Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: akpomery@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pomery
authors.affiliation: Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia; Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Dentistry and Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.affiliation: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Melbourne, Australia; Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
authors.forename: Miranda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xhilaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gough
mesh_terms: D004496:Education, Continuing; D006126:Group Processes; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Cancer; Development; Leadership; Peer support groups; Qualities; Systematic review; Training needs