title: Brief supportive-expressive group therapy for partners of men with early stage prostate cancer: lessons learned from a negative randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a negative randomized controlled trial, which piloted brief supportive-expressive therapy (SET) for partners of men with prostate cancer, and to discuss lessons learned for future clinical trials.
  
  
  
  Partners of men with newly diagnosed, non-metastatic prostate cancer were randomized to SET (n = 45) or usual care (n = 32). SET involved six weekly group sessions emphasizing emotional expression, social support, and finding meaning in the cancer experience. Measures of mood disturbance, marital satisfaction, and social support were administered to both partners and patients at baseline, post-program, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  
  There were no significant differences between SET and the control group for either patients or their wives on any outcome. Regardless of group membership, partners reported improvements in total mood disturbance (p = .011), tension (p < .001), anger (p = .041), confusion (p < .001), state anxiety (p = .001), and emotional support (p = .037), and patients reported improvements in tension (p = .003), emotional support (p = .047), positive interaction support (p = .004), and overall social support (p = .026).
  
  
  
  Compared to the natural course of recovery, SET did not improve psychosocial outcomes for either men with prostate cancer or their wives. Methodological challenges experienced in implementing this trial yield valuable lessons for future research, including designing interventions relevant to unique problems faced by specific groups, being closely guided by previous research, and the potential utility of screening for distress as an inclusion criteria in intervention trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 1331 29St NW, Calgary, T2N 4N2, Alberta, Canada. l.carlson@ucalgary.ca.|Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cancer Control Alberta, Holy Cross Site 2202 2nd St SW, Calgary, T2S 3C1, Alberta, Canada. l.carlson@ucalgary.ca.|Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. l.carlson@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Linda E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cancer Control Alberta, Holy Cross Site 2202 2nd St SW, Calgary, T2S 3C1, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Codie R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rouleau
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 1331 29St NW, Calgary, T2N 4N2, Alberta, Canada.|Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Speca
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 1331 29St NW, Calgary, T2N 4N2, Alberta, Canada.|Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cancer Control Alberta, Holy Cross Site 2202 2nd St SW, Calgary, T2S 3C1, Alberta, Canada.|Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 1331 29St NW, Calgary, T2N 4N2, Alberta, Canada.|Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cancer Control Alberta, Holy Cross Site 2202 2nd St SW, Calgary, T2S 3C1, Alberta, Canada.|Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Barry D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Bultz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Mood disturbance; Oncology; Partners; Prostate cancer; Supportive expressive therapy