Antoni, M. H., Lehman, J. M., Kilbourn, K. M., Boyers, A. E., Culver, J. L., Alferi, S. M., Yount, S. E., McGregor, B. A., Arena, P. L., Harris, S. D., Price, A. A., & Carver, C. S. (2001). Cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention decreases the prevalence of depression and enhances benefit finding among women under treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Health Psychology, 20, 20-32.
We tested effects of a 10-week group cognitive-behavioral stress
management
intervention among 100 women newly treated for stage 0-II breast
cancer.
The intervention reduced prevalence of moderate depression (which
remained
relatively stable in the control condition) but did not affect other
measures
of emotional distress. The intervention also increased
participants’
reports that having breast cancer had made positive contributions to
their
lives, and it increased generalized optimism. Both remained
significantly
elevated at a 3 month follow-up of the intervention. Further
analysis
revealed that the intervention had its greatest impact on these two
variables
among women who were lowest in optimism at baseline. Discussion
centers
on the importance of examining positive responses to traumatic
events—growth,
appreciation of life, shift in priorities, positive affect—as well as
negative
responses.
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