| dc.description.abstract | Cancer can have a significant psychological impact on those diagnosed, and
their families. The ability of psychotherapy to reduce this impact has been
extensively studied internationally. However, New Zealand-based research in
this area remains limited. The present study aimed to investigate the
effectiveness of psycho-oncology interventions, provided by a New Zealand
psycho-oncology service, in reducing distress and improving quality of life for
cancer patients and their families/whanau. Eighteen clients (patients/family
members) of the service (intervention group) were recruited and matched for
initial distress and wellbeing with patients/family members located in an area
without a psycho-oncology service (control group). Wellbeing, wairua
(spirituality), distress, impact and coping were measured pre- and posttherapy,
and at follow-up. In addition, eight intervention group participants
were interviewed to examine their experiences of cancer and the psychooncology
service. Possible key factors influencing the effectiveness of service
interventions were also investigated. The results showed that participants who
had access to the psycho-oncology service showed significant improvements
in all outcome measures by the end of therapy. The majority of these were
maintained 3 months later. Improvements were also observed in the control
group. Reasons for accessing therapy centred on diagnosis/prognosis
concerns, communication with family, and talking to a non-family member
about their worries. Although clients had no specific expectations prior to
therapy, previous psychotherapy experiences influenced their perceptions of
its potential effectiveness. Therapists’ personal and professional qualities
were also viewed as crucial. Five key themes were identified as most
beneficial - receiving individualised support, talking to someone who was not
family, receiving expert/professional support, regaining a sense of control, and
service availability/flexibility. Overall, psycho-oncology interventions had a
significantly positive impact on clients’ lives, and were viewed as being
extremely beneficial for those experiencing cancer-related distress. This
research provides a unique contribution to the limited psycho-oncology
research in New Zealand. | en_US |
