McMillan, S.C., Small, B.J., Weitzner, M., Schonwetter, R., Tittle, M., Moody, L., . . . Haley, W.E. (2006). Impact of coping skills intervention with family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer: A randomized clinical trial. Cancer, 106(1), 214–222.
The COPE method involves the following four interventions.
The COPE intervention was delivered by nurses, and a home health aide was present for each visit to provide respite so that caregivers could focus on the intervention. No specific data were given on length of intervention, although it was inferred to occur over two weeks. The study was divided into three arms.
A properly designed randomized, controlled trial with three arms was used.
Significant group by time interactions were found between the standard group and the COPE group (group 3) in quality of life, symptom burden, and caregiving task burden. No significant differences were found between the standard group and the support condition (group 2) in quality of life, symptom burden, or caregiving task burden. The COPE group had significant improvements in symptom burden over time, whereas the usual care group did not. Mastery and coping skills were not significantly different among groups.
Although substantial attrition occurred across all three groups longitudinally, researchers examined for differences. The only significance found was that completers were initially older than noncompleters. No effects of attrition by group were significant.