Brief Metacognitive Therapy for Emotional Distress in Adult Cancer Survivors

Fisher, Peter L ORCID: 0000-0002-7388-720X, Byrne, Angela, Fairburn, Louise, Ullmer, Helen, Abbey, Gareth and Salmon, Peter ORCID: 0000-0001-6450-5209 (2019) Brief Metacognitive Therapy for Emotional Distress in Adult Cancer Survivors. FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY, 10 (JAN). 162-.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00162

Abstract

Background: Adult cancer survivors often experience substantial psychological morbidity following the completion of acute cancer treatment. Unfortunately, current psychological interventions are of limited efficacy. This study explored if metacognitive therapy (MCT); a brief transdiagnostic psychological intervention was potentially efficacious and could be delivered effectively to adult cancer survivors with psychological morbidity. Methods: An open trial with 3- and 6-month follow-up evaluated the treatment effects of MCT in 27 consecutively referred individuals to a clinical psychology health service specializing in psycho-oncology. Each participant received a maximum of six 1-hour sessions of MCT. Levels of anxiety, depression, fear of cancer recurrence, post-traumatic stress symptoms, health related quality of life, and metacognitive beliefs and processes were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Results: MCT was associated with statistically significant reductions across all outcome measures which were maintained through to 6-month follow-up. In the ITT sample on the primary treatment outcome measure, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Total, 59% of participants met recovery criteria at post-treatment and 52% at 6-month follow-up, respectively. No participants significantly deteriorated. In the completer sample (N = 20), 80% recovered at post-treatment and 70% at 6-month follow-up. MCT was acceptable to patients with approximately 75% of patients completing all treatment sessions. Conclusion: MCT, a brief transdiagnostic psychological intervention can be delivered effectively to a heterogenous group of cancer survivors with promising treatment effects. Examining the efficacy of brief MCT against the current gold standard psychological intervention would be a valuable advance toward improving the quality of life of cancer survivors.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	cancer, survivors, emotional distress, metacognitive therapy, open trial
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	17 Jan 2019 11:18
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 01:06
DOI:	10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00162
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00162
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3031431