Shannon Myers Virtue1, Sharon L Manne1, Kathleen Darabos1, Carolyn J Heckman2, Melissa Ozga3, David Kissane3,4, Stephen Rubin5, Norman Rosenblum6. 1. Department of Medical Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA. 2. Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, VIC, Australia. 5. Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 6. Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe emotion episodes during early and late psychotherapy sessions among women newly diagnosed with gynecological cancer and to examine whether the total number of emotion episodes during early and later sessions was associated with baseline psychological distress, dispositional emotion expressivity, and patient-rated therapeutic progress. METHODS: The study utilized data from an ongoing study examining the efficacy of two psychotherapy interventions, a coping and communication intervention and a supportive counseling intervention, for women diagnosed with gynecological cancer. Emotion episode coding was completed for the first and sixth psychotherapy sessions for each patient randomized to receive psychotherapy (N = 173). Patients completed baseline survey measures of psychological distress and dispositional emotional expressivity and post-session ratings of therapeutic progress. RESULTS: The average number of emotion episodes was 7.4 in the first session and 5.2 episodes in the sixth session. In both sessions, the majority of emotion episodes contained only negative emotions and focused on a cancer-related topic. A higher number of emotion episodes in the first session was associated with higher psychological distress reported in the baseline survey (p = 0.02). A higher number of emotion episodes in the sixth session was associated with a higher number of emotion episodes in the first session (p < 0.001) and higher patient-rated progress as rated in the sixth session (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the importance of expressed emotions, particularly negative emotions about cancer-related topics, in therapeutic progress during psychotherapy among women diagnosed with gynecological cancer.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe emotion episodes during early and late psychotherapy sessions among women newly diagnosed with gynecological cancer and to examine whether the total number of emotion episodes during early and later sessions was associated with baseline psychological distress, dispositional emotion expressivity, and patient-rated therapeutic progress. METHODS: The study utilized data from an ongoing study examining the efficacy of two psychotherapy interventions, a coping and communication intervention and a supportive counseling intervention, for women diagnosed with gynecological cancer. Emotion episode coding was completed for the first and sixth psychotherapy sessions for each patient randomized to receive psychotherapy (N = 173). Patients completed baseline survey measures of psychological distress and dispositional emotional expressivity and post-session ratings of therapeutic progress. RESULTS: The average number of emotion episodes was 7.4 in the first session and 5.2 episodes in the sixth session. In both sessions, the majority of emotion episodes contained only negative emotions and focused on a cancer-related topic. A higher number of emotion episodes in the first session was associated with higher psychological distress reported in the baseline survey (p = 0.02). A higher number of emotion episodes in the sixth session was associated with a higher number of emotion episodes in the first session (p < 0.001) and higher patient-rated progress as rated in the sixth session (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the importance of expressed emotions, particularly negative emotions about cancer-related topics, in therapeutic progress during psychotherapy among women diagnosed with gynecological cancer.
Authors: David W Kissane; Brenda Grabsch; David M Clarke; George Christie; Diane Clifton; Stan Gold; Christine Hill; Ann Morgan; Fiona McDermott; Graeme C Smith Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2004-11 Impact factor: 3.894
Authors: Sharon L Manne; Gary Winkel; Stephen Rubin; Mitchell Edelson; Norman Rosenblum; Cynthia Bergman; Enrique Hernandez; John Carlson; Thomas Rocereto Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2008-12
Authors: Remi A Nout; Hein Putter; Ina M Jürgenliemk-Schulz; Jan J Jobsen; Ludy C H W Lutgens; Elzbieta M van der Steen-Banasik; Jan Willem M Mens; Annerie Slot; Marika C Stenfert Kroese; Bart N F M van Bunningen; Vincent T H B M Smit; Hans W Nijman; Philine P van den Tol; Carien L Creutzberg Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2009-06-22 Impact factor: 44.544