title: Effect of Relaxation With Guided Imagery on The Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer patients frequently experience psychological distress during the chemotherapy period.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the effect of relaxation with guided imagery on patients with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-group, pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design with a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-five breast cancer patients from one medical center in Taiwan were enrolled in the study. These patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 32) or to the control group (n = 33). Both groups received chemotherapy self-care education, but the experimental group also received relaxation with guided imagery training. The training on relaxation with guided imagery was conducted before chemotherapy, and the patients were supplied with a compact disc detailing the performance of relaxation with guided imagery for 20 minutes daily at home for 7 days after chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The experimental group showed significant decreases in insomnia (-0.34 ± 0.83, P < 0.05), pain (-0.28 ± 0.58, P < 0.05), anxiety (-3.56 ± 2.94, P < 0.00), and depression (-2.38 ± 2.70, P < 0.00) between the pretest and the posttest. Comparing the two groups, statistically significant differences were found in the overall symptom distress (B = 0.11, P < 0.05), insomnia (B = 0.50, P <0.05), depression (B = 0.38, P < 0.05), and numbness in physical symptoms (B = 0.38, P < 0.05), as well as in anxiety (B = 3.08, P < 0.00) and depression (B = 1.86, P < 0.00) in psychological distress. One week of relaxation with guided imagery can significantly improve the overall symptoms of distress, insomnia, depression, physical symptoms, and anxiety, and can decrease psychological distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relaxation with guided imagery had a positive effect on mediating anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Mackay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Ho
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Hung Kuang University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ue-Lin
authors.initials: UL
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: Breast Cancer; Chemotherapy; Guided Imagery; Relaxation; Symptom