Brief Psychological Intervention in Patients with Cervical Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is considered a major life stress that has potential effects on one's psychological well-being. This study investigated the possible benefits of a brief psychological intervention based on gratitude and mindfulness for positive and negative affect in patients with cervical cancer and explored the potentially mediating role of rumination and reappraisal.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 3 public hospitals in China between April 2014 and December 2014. One-hundred twenty postoperative cervical cancer patients were randomly assigned into an intervention group or a wait-list control group. Participants completed self-report measures of positive and negative affect, rumination, and reappraisal before and after the 4-week intervention or waiting period. The outcome effects of the intervention were analyzed by generalized estimating equations (GEE). Mediation analyses were performed using a nonparametric bootstrapping procedure.

Results: GEE results indicated significant Time × Group interaction effects on positive affect (B = 1.60, χ2 = 25.90, p < .001), negative affect (B = -2.13, χ2 = 28.02, p < .001), rumination (B = -2.48, χ2 = 6.48, p = .011), and reappraisal (B = 3.28, χ2 = 41.17, p < .001) for the intervention. The effect of the intervention on positive and negative affect was mediated by changes in rumination and reappraisal respectively.

Conclusions: The brief psychological intervention improved positive affect and reappraisal and reduced negative affect and rumination in women with cervical cancer. Findings support the beneficial effects for implementing this brief psychological intervention in oncology. (PsycINFO Database Record