Abstract
This study was performed to assess the effects of intervention by a support group established to help cancer patients support each other, accept life with cancer, and feel positive in general. Under the program, the patients met for a 140-minute session once a week for five consecutive weeks. Each session consisted of a mini-lecture on cancer (educational intervention : 30 minutes), group discussion (emotional intervention : 90 minutes), and autogenic training to reduce stress (instruction in stress management : 20 minutes). Thirty-seven participants were recruited from various medical facilities in surrounding communities. Among them, 28 were included in the evaluation. The participants were divided into three groups : 1) men with any type of cancer (male-mixed group), 2) women with any type of cancer (female-mixed group), 3) men and women with any type of cancer (male and female-mixed group). Patient evaluations were based on 1) face sheets, 2) the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 3) positiveness of attitudes, and 4) mental adjustment to cancer (MAC). The results were as follows : In general, three groups showed reduced depression and improved positiveness of attitudes and mental adjustment to cancer. Especially, the female-mixed group showed significant improvement in positiveness and hopelessness. The results suggested that support-group intervention may be helpful for cancer patients regardless of the group attribution.
