The effect of problem-solving training (PST) on psychological distress, coping, pain, overall distress, and problem-solving behavior in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients was investigated in a randomized controlled trial. The intervention was performed during aplasia and included five 1-hour individual sessions; it was started 2 days before HSCT. Forty-five patients were included in the intervention group (IG) and 46 in the control group (CG). The effects were measured at 11 (t2) and 21 days (t3) after HSCT. At t2, 31 patients remained in the IG and 36 patients in the CG. Patients > 18 years, with adequate cognitive performance, and with adequate command of the German language, were included. They were assessed with regard to anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), psychological distress (Symptom Checklist short version-9), coping (Brief Cope), problem-solving (Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised), pain (Questions of Pain), and distress (National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer). The data were analyzed using analyses of covariance (general linear model) to examine the differences between the two conditions. Anxiety, psychological distress, pain, and general stress were reduced after PST in the IG compared with those in the CG. Active coping was reinforced in the IG. The IG patients were also better able to reduce negative problem orientation and improve problem implementation. The effect of the PST on these features was between Eta 2 =.13 and .45 and can thus be described as medium to strong. There were no changes in depression and social support. After careful interpretation of the results, it can be said that PST affects patients' mental health, problem-solving, and coping. Because these psychological changes occur shortly after the transplantation in the phase of aplasia, HSCT patients are likely to be given a more favorable starting position for the course of recovery.
Keywords: anxiety/depression < topics; aplasie; coping; distress; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); problem solving training; psychological intervention.