Stagl, J.M., Antoni, M.H., Lechner, S.C., Bouchard, L.C., Blomberg, B.B., Gluck, S., . . . Carver, C.S. (2015). Randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral stress management in breast cancer: A brief report of effects on five-year depressive symptoms. Health Psychology, 34, 176–180.
To determine if group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) following surgery for breast cancer had long-term benefits for depressive symptoms
Women who previously participated in a single-blind RCT of 10 weeks of a group-based cognitive behavioral intervention versus a one-day psychoeducational control condition were contacted five years later for follow-up assessment. Patients were mailed a questionnaire to complete.
Women who had participated in the CBT intervention reported fewer depressive symptoms (d = 0.32, p = 0.03). The power to detect this difference was 0.93.
Findings suggest that CBT-approach interventions had long-term benefit in reducing depressive symptoms among women with breast cancer.
Cognitive behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective interventions for depression. This study suggests that CBT benefits can be long lasting. Alhough most nurses do not provide full CBT, principles of the CBT approach can be readily incorporated into nursing care and psychoeducational interventions. This approach can be recommended for use.