The purpose of this study was to further develop treatment theory for SHIP psychoeducational interventions in order: (1) to discover those interventions which proved to contribute toward significant change rate in the self-reported perceptions of breast cancer patients concerning their feelings of personal 'well-being', (2) to assess the stability of the SHIP's treatment effect during the follow-up data collection period, (3) to profile which individuals were most likely to benefit from specific components of SHIP interventions, and (4) to test the processes by which the SHIP interventions affected the outcome. Outcomes studied were change in: self-help, enabling skills (belief-in-self, cognitive reframing, & problem solving), uncertainty level, psychological adjustment, and 'well-being'. Profiling factors were personal characteristics, medical characteristics, baseline support level, and baseline mastery level. Data were derived from the Self-Help Interventions Project (SHIP), an experimental, longitudinal study which had provided psychoeducational interventions to women with breast cancer in order to help them cope with their situation. The SHIP interventions consisted of education and psychological components. A nonprobability sample of 307 women was randomized into one of five possible treatment groups and a natural learning condition/control group. Study results revealed that, in general, change patterns in outcomes were as expected, though magnitude of change rates was modest to moderate. Significant impact was strongest for those who participated in: the Self-Help Independent Study plus Uncertainty Management combined intervention, and the Self-Help Independent Study intervention. Recommendations include: (1) re-examine intervenors' characteristics through further secondary data analysis of the SHIP study; (2) replicate part of this study using only the stronger components such as the combined Self-Help Independent Study/Uncertainy Management groups, and the individual Self-Help control group in a more homogeneous and larger sample size; (3) use alternative methods of measurement to capture the changes in outcomes. For example, measure functional status through the categories of 'performing self-care', and 'returning to school/work/hobby'; and (4) measure more frequently in order to determine the possibility of using "booster" lessons.
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