Health

Foley, E., Baillie, A., Huxter,M., Price, M., & Sinclair, E. (2010). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for individuals whose lives have been affected by cancer: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 78(1), 72-79.

Correspondence Address:
Elizabeth Foley, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2109,. elizabeth@mindpotential.com.au .

Abstract
Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for individuals with a diagnosis of cancer. Method: Participants (N = 115) diagnosed with cancer, across site and stage, were randomly allocated to either the treatment or the wait-list condition. Treatment was conducted at 1 site, by a single therapist, and involved participation in 8 weekly 2-hr sessions that focused on mindfulness. Participants meditated for up to 1 hr daily and attended an additional full-day session during the course. Participants were assessed before treatment and 10 weeks later; this second assessment occurred immediately after completion of the program for the treatment condition. The treatment condition was also assessed at 3 months postintervention. All postinitial assessments were completed by assessors who were blind to treatment allocation. Results: There were large and significant improvements in mindfulness (effect size [ES] = 0.55), depression (ES = 0.83), anxiety (ES = 0.59), and distress (ES = 0.53) as well as a trend for quality of life (ES = 0.30) for MBCT participants compared to those who had not received the training. The wait-list group was assessed before and after receiving the intervention and demonstrated similar change. Conclusions: These improvements represent clinically meaningful change and provide evidence for the provision of MBCT within oncology settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Malouff, J. M., Thorsteinsson, E. B., Rooke, S. E., Bhullar, N., & Schutte, N. S. (2008). Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(5), 736-745.

Correspondence Address:
John M. Malouff, School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia, 2351, jmalouff@une.edu.au.

Abstract
A meta-analysis of the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating chronic fatigue included 15 effect sizes for between-group outcome comparisons. Across analyses, which included a total of 1371 participants, there was a significant difference, d = 0.48, in post-treatment fatigue between participants receiving CBT and those in control conditions. Results indicate that CBT for chronic fatigue syndrome tends to be moderately efficacious. Dropout rates in CBT varied from 0-42%, with a mean of 16%. In the five studies that reported the number of CBT clients who were no longer in the clinical range with regard to fatigue at the latest follow-up, the percentage varied from 33% to 73% of those assigned to CBT, with a mean of 50%. Moderator results suggest directions for future investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved)

Mohr, D. C., Hart, S., Vella, L. (2007). Reduction in disability in a randomized controlled trial of telephone-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy. Health Psychology, 26(5) 554-563.

Correspondence Address:
David C. Mohr, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 North Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1220, Chicago, IL, US, 60611, d-mohr@northwestern.edu.

Abstract
Objective: The authors examined the efficacy of telephone-administered cognitive-behavioral therapy (T-CBT) and telephone-administered supportive emotion-focused therapy (T-SEFT) in reducing disability among disabled patients with multiple sclerosis and depression. Telephone administration of therapy allowed care to be delivered to a more disabled population. This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial; the primary outcome results for depression are reported in D. C. Mohr, S. L. Hart, L. Julian, C. Catledge, L. Honos-Webb, L. Vella, et al. (2005). Design: A randomized controlled trial, comparing 16 weeks of T-CBT with T-SEFT. Main Outcome Measures: Disability was measured using Guy's Neurological Disability Scale; fatigue was measured using the Fatigue Impact Scale; depression was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results: Patients in both treatments showed significant improvements in disability and fatigue. These improvements were related to reductions in depression. T-CBT produced significantly greater decreases in disability and fatigue, compared with T-SEFT, even after controlling for depression. The greater benefit of T-CBT on disability was mediated by physical fatigue. Conclusion: These findings support the hypothesis that significant reductions in disability can be achieved by reducing depression in patients with multiple sclerosis. There was also evidence that further reductions could be achieved through CBT-specific interventions that include a focus on symptoms such as fatigue management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)

Rimes, K. A., Salkovskis, P. M., Jones, L., & Lucassen, A. M. (2006). Applying a cognitive behavioral model of health anxiety in a cancer genetics service. Health Psychology, 25, 171-180.

Correspondence Address:
Katharine A. Rimes, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of General Hospital Psychiatry (P062), King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Weston Education Centre, 10 Cutcombe Road, (3rd Floor), London, United Kingdom, SE5 9RJ, k.rimes@iop.kcl.ac.uk, http://www.apa.org/journals/hea.html.

Abstract
A cognitive-behavioral model of health anxiety was used to investigate reactions to genetic counseling for cancer. Participants (N = 218) were asked to complete a questionnaire beforehand and 6 months later. There was an overall decrease in levels of cancer-related anxiety, although 24% of participants showed increased cancer-related anxiety at follow-up. People who had a general tendency to worry about their health reported more cancer-related anxiety than those who did not at both time points. This health-anxious group also showed a post counseling anxiety reduction, whereas the others showed no significant change. Participants with breast or ovarian cancer in their family were more anxious than participants with colon cancer in their family. Preexisting beliefs were significant predictors of anxiety, consistent with a cognitive-behavioral approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

Sikkema, K. J., Hansen, N. B., Kochman, A., Tate, D. C, & Difranceisco, W. (2004). Outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of a group intervention for HIV positive men and women coping with AIDS-related loss and bereavement. Death Studies, 28(3), 187-209.

Correspondence Address:
Kathleen J. Sikkema, Division of Prevention and Community Research, Consultation Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 389 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT US 06511, Kathleen.sikkema@yale.edu.

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a group coping Intervention for HIV-positive men and women who have lost a loved one(s) to AIDS in the past 2 years. Two hundred thirty-five participants, diverse with respect to race/ethnicity and sexual orientation, were randomly assigned to a 12-week cognitive-behavioral group intervention or to an individual therapy on request comparison condition. Measures assessing grief and psychiatric distress were administered at baseline and 2 weeks post-intervention period. Although a strong gender effect was observed in outcome, both men and women participating in the group intervention demonstrated significantly more reduction in psychiatric distress than controls. Further, women in the group intervention demonstrated significant reductions in grief and depressive symptoms over men in both conditions and women in the comparison condition. Brief cognitive-behavioral group interventions for coping with grief have a positive impact on the psychiatric functioning of HIV-positive participants. This appears to be especially true for HIV-positive women; a group not previously focused on in clinical research related to AIDS bereavement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Wade, S. L., Carey, J., Wolfe, C. R. (2006). The efficacy of an online cognitive behavioral family intervention in improving child behavior and social competence following pediatric brain injury. Rehabilitation Psychology, 51, 179-189.

Correspondence Address:
Shari L. Wade, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 4009, Cincinnati, OH, US, 45229-3039, shari.wade@cchmc.org.

Abstract
Objective: To examine whether an online cognitive-behavioral intervention could improve child adjustment following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Thirty-nine families of children with moderate to severe TBI. Intervention: Families were randomly assigned to the online family problem-solving (FPS) group or to the Internet resources comparison (IRC) group. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes included child behavior problems, social competence, and self-management/ compliance. Results: The FPS group reported better child self-management/ compliance at follow-up than did the IRC group. The child's age and socioeconomic status (SES) moderated treatment effects, with older children and those of lower SES who received FPS showing greater improvements in self-management and behavior problems, respectively. Conclusions: Findings suggest that an online cognitive- behavioral approach can improve child adjustment after TBI, particularly in older children and children of lower SE S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)