title: A guided self-help intervention targeting psychological distress among head and neck cancer and lung cancer patients: motivation to start, experiences and perceived outcomes.
abstract: Recent results of a randomized clinical trial showed that a guided self-help intervention (based on problem-solving therapy) targeting psychological distress among head and neck cancer and lung cancer patients is effective. This study qualitatively explored motivation to start, experiences with and perceived outcomes of this intervention.
  
  
  
  Data were collected from semi-structured interviews of 16 patients. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed individually by two coders and coded into key issues and themes.
  
  
  
  Patients participated in the intervention for intrinsic (e.g. to help oneself) and for extrinsic reasons (e.g. being asked by a care professional or to help improve health care). Participants indicated positive and negative experiences with the intervention. Several participants appreciated participating as being a pleasant way to work on oneself, while others described participating as too confrontational. Some expressed their disappointment as they felt the intervention had brought them nothing or indicated that they felt worse temporarily, but most participants perceived positive outcomes of the intervention (e.g. feeling less distressed and having learned what matters in life).
  
  
  
  Cancer patients have various reasons to start a guided self-help intervention. Participants appreciated the guided self-help as intervention to address psychological distress, but there were also concerns. Most participants reported the intervention to be beneficial. The results suggest the need to identify patients who might benefit most from guided self-help targeting psychological distress and that interventions should be further tailored to individual cancer patients' requirements.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|VUmc Cancer Center, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Anne-Marie H
authors: AH
authors: Krebber
authors: EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|VUmc Cancer Center, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Cornelia F
authors: CF
authors: van Uden-Kraan
authors: EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|VUmc Cancer Center, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Heleen C
authors: HC
authors: Melissant
authors: EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Pim
authors: P
authors: Cuijpers
authors: EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Annemieke
authors: A
authors: van Straten
authors: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: Annemarie
authors: A
authors: Becker-Commissaris
authors: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|VUmc Cancer Center, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors: C René
authors: CR
authors: Leemans
authors: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. im.verdonck@vumc.nl.|EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. im.verdonck@vumc.nl.|VUmc Cancer Center, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. im.verdonck@vumc.nl.|Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. im.verdonck@vumc.nl.
authors: Irma M
authors: IM
authors: Verdonck-de Leeuw
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010465:Perception; D011613:Psychotherapy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Anxiety; Cancer; Depression; Distress; Qualitative study; Self-help