The Potential Utility of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Reducing Stress and Improving Wellbeing in Cancer Patients in Kolkata

J Cancer Educ. 2016 Dec;31(4):721-729. doi: 10.1007/s13187-015-0935-8.

Abstract

As soon as a patient comes to know that he/she has cancer, the stress starts and psychological intervention is required. The authors assessed how well a cancer patient can manage stress over the course of the psychological intervention. Data was collected among 107 patients during pre and post intervention and at 2 months follow-up. Intervention was required to measures include acceptance of the disease, managing stress, well -being, and meaning of life. Finally, effects of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) were defined in acceptance measured in terms of a significant difference between pre and post intervention scores in the meaning of life and the acceptance level. This acceptance and commitment therapy can be an effective intervention approach for cancer patients that increases acceptance regarding disease and simultaneously leads to improvement in the meaning of life.

Keywords: Acceptance and commitment; Meaningful life; Mindfulness; Quality of life; Stress.

MeSH terms

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy / methods*
  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / etiology
  • Anxiety / prevention & control*
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Depression / etiology
  • Depression / prevention & control*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Quality of Life*
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological / prevention & control*
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult