Couple-Focused Intervention for Breast Cancer Patients

Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title: Couple-Focused Group Intervention for Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of 2 couple-focused interventions developed to reduce the psychological distress on women and their partners during and after the breast cancer experience. The first group, an Enhanced Couple-Focused Group (ECG), incorporates cognitive-behavioral interventions (e.g., relaxation, stress management skills) as well as basic relationship communication and support skills (e.g., expressing support needs constructively). The second group, a Couples' Support Group (SG), is a non-structured group where general topics are discussed. The investigators will evaluate the impact of each group condition on patients' psychological adaptation, social and role functioning, and cancer treatment adherence. The investigators will also evaluate whether patient and partner perceptions of relationship support, relationship intimacy, stress management skills, and intervention group support mediate the groups' effects on each other's psychological adaptation.

The investigators hypothesize that ECG will have stronger positive effects on patient general and cancer-related distress and well-being than SG.

The investigators hypothesize that group support will mediate greater improvements in patient psychological functioning in both groups but that the effects of group support will be significantly stronger in SG than ECG.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Supportive Care

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Breast Cancer
• Breast Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT00940277
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Fox Chase Cancer Center
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 2007
• Completion date: October 2015