Moderators of the effect of meaning-centred group psychotherapy for cancer survivors on meaning, psychological well-being, and distress

摘要

Background/Purpose: Meaning-centred group psychotherapy for cancer survivors (MCGP-CS) has been developed to sustain or enhance survivors' sense of meaning in life. To explore for which subgroups MCGP-CS is specifically beneficial, this study aimed to analyse potential moderator variables. Methods: Cancer survivors (N = 114) were randomly assigned to MCGP-CS or usual care. Participants were maximum 5 years after diagnosis, had completed curative treatment, and an expressed need for psychological care. Potential moderators included: age, gender, relationship, education, employment, religion, cancer type, tumour stage, cancer treatment, time since treatment, anxiety, depression, other negative life events, previous psychological treatment, and therapy preference. Outcome measures were the Personal Meaning Profile (PMP), Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Assessment took place at baseline, post-intervention, at 3 and 6 months follow-up. For each moderator, a separate short-term (baseline until post-intervention) and long-term (baseline until 6 months follow-up) mixed model was built.