Goerling, U., Jaeger, C., Walz, A., Stickel, A., Mangler, M., & van der Meer, E. (2014). The efficacy of short-term psycho-oncological interventions for women with gynaecological cancer: A randomized study. Oncology, 87, 114–124.
To study the effects of two different interventions on anxiety and depression postoperatively
The interventions that were studied included a single educational session and a single session of progressive muscle relaxation delivered between the third and sixth postoperative day to women who had surgery for gynecologic cancers. Women randomly were assigned to intervention groups. Study measures were obtained preoperatively prior to hospital discharge.
Randomized, noncontrolled trial
Anxiety scores declined significantly in both groups (p < .005), and depression declined significantly in those receiving the educational intervention (p < .001). There were no differences between groups in self-reported stress, and there were no significant changes in physiologic measures.
The findings of this study demonstrate that the interventions tested here may have some benefit; however, the strength of the results is low due to study limitations
This study does not provide strong evidence in support of educational and muscle relaxation interventions for the reduction of anxiety or depression.