Effects of a psycho-educational intervention with mindfulness-based strategies in breast cancer survivors

Abstract

The emerging technological advances in recent decades abreast of scientifc progress in cancer context resulted in the implementation of therapies tailored to each patient and the exponential increase in the number of survivors. Group psychoeducational interventions (PEI) have been shown to be benefcial for survivors of breast cancer, and mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) identifed as useful in treating this population. Tis study arises in this context, with the aim of evaluating the impact of a PEI program with the integration of MBI in a group of breast cancer survivors, and to analyze the effects on quality of life (QoL), psychopathology, coping strategies and self-concept. Te study was carried out in central Portugal, where 21 women were recruited: 10 were proposed for PEI and 11 constituted the control group. Participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment-QOL questionnaire and breast cancer specifc module (EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Cancer Coping Questionnaire (CCQ), and the Clinical Self-Concept Inventory (CSCI), at the beginning and end of the intervention. Survivors who had no intervention showed deterioration of self-efcacy, mastery of self and the worst results in emotional function domain of QoL. Te intervention group showed improvements in self-efcacy. Tis work has been useful, since it was found that the implementation of such PEI with MBI, leads to positive efects on breast cancer survivors.