The association between dyadic coping and adjustment to cancer has been well-established. However, a significant gap in the literature is the understanding of how the life stage of couples may ...influence their dyadic coping and the accompanying quality of life. Although younger couples have been identified at higher risk for poor coping because of less collaborative behaviors and higher vulnerability to stress, only a limited number of studies have addressed younger women's coping with breast cancer in the context of close relationships. The present study addressed the differential impact of the illness on the quality of life and dyadic coping behaviors of younger and middle-aged dyads and the influence of relational mutuality on couples' coping in the two groups. A sample of 86 couples participated in a cross-sectional study; 35 younger couples were compared to 51 middle-aged dyads. Patients and partners completed measures of quality of life, dyadic coping, and mutuality. Independent-samples
-tests were used to examine differences in the two groups, while the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) identified actor and partner effects of relational mutuality on dyadic coping. Younger women and their partners reported statistically significant worse quality of life and dyadic coping scores than the middle-age group. For younger couples, positive and negative coping styles were the result of both actor and partner effects of mutuality. The study highlighted the more negative impact of breast cancer on the quality of life of younger patients and partners. It also revealed a stronger influence of each partner's relational mutuality compared to the middle-age group in predicting both adaptive and maladaptive coping behavior. Future studies should continue to examine the developmental trajectory of dyadic coping across the lifespan in order to develop psychosocial interventions to promote younger dyads' coping efforts.
The aim of the present research was to investigate the association between spouses’ individual cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies, dyadic coping behaviors, and relationship satisfaction. ...Using a sample of 295 couples (590 individuals), we found that adaptive CER strategies (putting into perspective, positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, and planning refocusing) were related to positive dyadic coping (supportive, common, and delegated coping in couples), which in turn increased both partners’ relationship satisfaction. Analyses using actor–partner interdependence modeling indicated that dyadic coping mediated the association between spouses’ CER and their own relationship satisfaction. These findings support the importance of addressing both cognitive coping strategies and dyadic coping in prevention and intervention in couples.
Previous studies have revealed that the ways couples deal with stress in their lives are significantly associated with their marital quality and overall marital functioning. However, there has been ...little empirical evidence linking dyadic coping with marital quality over time. This study addresses the relationship between dyadic coping and marital quality among 90 couples over a period of 2 years. The results reveal that dyadic coping was significantly associated with marital quality over 2 years. For women, both their own dyadic coping and that of their partner were significant predictors, whereas for men only their own dyadic coping was predictive. The results are discussed with regard to prevention of marital distress.
With the growing recognition that patients and partners react to a cancer diagnosis as an interdependent system and increasing evidence that psychosocial interventions can be beneficial to both ...patients and partners, there has been a recent increase in the attention given to interventions that target couples. The aim of this systematic review was to identify existing couple-based interventions for patients with cancer and their partners and explore the efficacy of these interventions (including whether there is added value to target the couple versus individuals), the content and delivery of couple-based interventions, and to identify the key elements of couple-based interventions that promote improvement in adjustment to cancer diagnosis.
A systematic review of the cancer literature was performed to identify experimental and quasi-experimental couple-based interventions published between 1990 and 2011. To be considered for this review, studies had to test the efficacy of a psychosocial intervention for couples affected by cancer. Studies were excluded if they were published in a language other than English or French, focused on pharmacological, exercise, or dietary components combined with psychosocial components, or did not assess the impact of the intervention on psychological distress (e.g., depression, anxiety) or quality of life. Data were extracted using a standardised data collection form, and were analysed independently by three reviewers.
Of the 709 articles screened, 23 were included in this review. Couple-based interventions were most efficacious in improving couple communication, psychological distress, and relationship functioning. Interventions had a limited impact on physical distress and social adjustment. Most interventions focused on improving communication and increasing understanding of the cancer diagnosis within couples. Interventions were most often delivered by masters-level nurses or clinical psychologists. Although most were delivered in person, few were telephone-based. No difference in efficacy was noted based on mode of delivery. Factors associated with uptake and completion included symptom severity, available time and willingness to travel.
Given effect sizes of couple-based interventions are similar to those reported in recent meta-analyses of patient-only and caregiver-only interventions (~d=.35-.45), it appears couple-based interventions for patients with cancer and their partners may be at least as efficacious as patient-only and caregiver-only interventions. Despite evidence that couple-based interventions enhance psycho-social adjustment for both patients and partners, these interventions have not yet been widely adopted. Although more work is needed to facilitate translation to routine practice, evidence reviewed is promising in reducing distress and improving coping and adjustment to a cancer diagnosis or to cancer symptoms.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
There are over one million people in Australia who are either living with or have lived with cancer, and approximately 145,000 new cancer cases are expected this year (AIHW, 2019). Oncology social ...workers are essential members of the health care team in meeting the needs of cancer patients and their families; however, the training and specialisation of social work professionals in the field of oncology is less developed in Australia compared to other western countries. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the strategies implemented in the USA to develop and train oncology social workers and to assess the utility of these strategies in the Australian context. This paper will address the current state of oncology social work in both the USA and Australia, educational models of training oncology social workers, and the research capacity of oncology social workers. The feasibility of adapting some of these key strategies for training oncology social workers in the Australian context will be discussed.
IMPLICATIONS
It is essential to train skilled oncology social workers to be recognised as key providers of psychosocial care to cancer patients and their families via credentialing or certification.
Developing an oncology social work research base is essential for both oncology social workers as well as cancer patients and their families.
The strategic alliance and support of the key national cancer bodies (e.g., Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, Cancer Council Australia, and Cancer Australia) are crucial to the formal recognition and support of oncology social workers.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective: The study examined how a couple's capacity for mutuality as conceptualized by the Relational-Cultural Theory plays a role in their managing the stresses accompanying breast cancer.
...Methods: Eighty-six women treated for a primary, non-metastatic breast cancer and their partners completed measures of quality of life, relational mutuality, and dyadic coping. Demographic and clinical factors were self-reported. The relationship between mutuality and dyadic coping was evaluated using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM).
Results: Relational mutuality was positively associated with both the patients' and the caregivers' scores on common and positive dyadic coping. Similarly, relational mutuality was associated with both patients' and caregivers' reduced scores on avoidance of dyadic coping.
Conclusions: Relational mutuality emerges as a significant factor in our understanding about dyadic coping in the context of cancer and this study highlights the role it plays in dyadic coping behaviors.
Implications: The promotion of relational mutuality in couples coping with cancer-related stress should be a major focus in couple-based interventions.
Background: Interprofessional education is necessary to prepare students of the health professions for successful practice in today's health care environment. Because of its expertise in ...interdisciplinary practice and team-based care, palliative care should be leading the way in creating educational opportunities for students to learn the skills for team practice and provision of quality patient-centered care. Multiple barriers exist that can discourage those desiring to create and implement truly interdisciplinary curriculum.
An interdisciplinary faculty team planned and piloted a mandatory interdisciplinary palliative oncology curriculum and responded to formative feedback.
The project took place at a large public metropolitan university. Medical, nursing, and social work students and chaplains completing a clinical pastoral education internship participated in the curriculum.
Formative feedback was received via the consultation of an interdisciplinary group of palliative education experts, focus groups from students, and student evaluations of each learning modality.
Multiple barriers were experienced and successfully addressed by the faculty team. Curricular components were redesigned based on formative feedback. Openness to this feedback coupled with flexibility and compromise enabled the faculty team to create an efficient, sustainable, and feasible interdisciplinary palliative oncology curriculum.
Interdisciplinary palliative education can be successful if faculty teams are willing to confront challenges, accept feedback on multiple levels, and compromise while maintaining focus on desired learner outcomes.
Purpose
The present study examined prevalence and predictors of psychological distress among cancer patients receiving care at a safety-net institution during the first year of implementation of a ...distress screening protocol. Differences between screened and unscreened patients were also analyzed.
Methods
Data on 182 breast and lung cancer patients who were treated at a NCI-designated Academic Comprehensive Cancer Center (ACAD) were abstracted from the patients’ medical charts for a period of 1 year.
Results
Among the patients screened for distress, 66.2% reported a score higher than 4 (the established cut-off for distress) on the Distress Thermometer. Results from multiple regression analysis indicated that younger age, practical, and emotional problems were significant predictors of higher self-reported scores of psychological distress. There were no significant differences on socio-demographic and clinical variables between patients screened and those who were not screened. However, patients who were receiving more than one treatment modality were more likely to be screened.
Conclusion
The occurrence of psychological distress in this setting was higher than the percentages reported in other similar studies. Furthermore, younger cancer patients and those presenting psychosocial problems were at risk for higher distress, which requires referral to psychosocial providers and the implementation of services able to meet these areas of need.
Here is a comprehensive guide for practitioners who work with breast cancer patients and their families. It includes a series of psychosocial interventions to be used with couples during early stage ...breast cancer.
Objective
This study characterizes pre‐hematopoietic cell transplant psychosocial assessment practices with adult patients at centers in the U.S. An online, cross‐sectional survey was conducted to ...describe the content and process of assessment including the high risk factors that influence transplant eligibility and how eligibility decisions are made.
Methods
Psychosocial professionals (one per center) were invited to participate by sharing their center's practice. The questionnaire was developed by the researchers and pre‐tested with a group of hematopoietic cell transplantation social workers. Univariate statistics were used to describe the sample as well as the content and process of psychosocial assessment. Content analysis was conducted on textual data.
Results
A total of 90 centers had one psychosocial professional that responded. There was general consistency among centers about the major psychosocial components that are assessed, but variation occurred regarding what, if any, standardized measures were used. Approximately half of centers that used standardized measures used the Psychosocial Assessment of Candidates for Transplantation, Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale, or Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for transplantation to rate overall psychosocial risk. Most respondents (86%) reported that their center has declined an otherwise medically eligible patient due to psychosocial risk factors. Risk factors most frequently reported as potentially influencing eligibility included no caregiver/poor support system, illicit drug use, and serious, untreated mental illness.
Conclusions
Study findings provide a fuller understanding of psychosocial assessment practices, including the challenging ethical issue of psychosocial eligibility, and will help inform best practices.
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