Faith supportive group therapy and symptom reduction in Christian breast cancer patients

The field of psycho-oncology attempts to integrate and study the role that variables such as stress and emotional disturbances play following the diagnosis of cancer. This dissertation evaluated women with Stage I and II breast cancer by using a manualized treatment intervention that focuses specifically on pain, anxiety, depression, and more general emotional distress. The purpose of the study is to investigate and determine treatment outcome efficacy of a cognitive behavioral group complemented by the addition of explicitly religious coping strategies. Results of a pilot study and subsequent group data have demonstrated a significant reduction of depression, anxiety, and paranoia. Additionally, the religious groups reported significant gains in use of seeking social support and use of positive self-talk, two of the coping strategies promoted in the intervention. The spiritual well being assessment increased at posttest, however this was not statistically significant. Although the study cannot identify the treatment manual as causative of these changes, rating of the manual by psychologists and doctoral students trained in the integration of faith and clinical practice demonstrated that it appropriately covers the domains targeted and that they would be comfortable recommending this treatment to a client. Implications for practice with this uniquely challenging population include training opportunities for hospital chaplains, oncology nurses, clergy, and other care providers in providing faith-based interventions to religious patients.