Effectiveness of Spiritual Group Therapy in Reducing Depression, Anxiety, and Stress of Women with Breast Cancer

Subject Areas : Quarterly Journal of Woman and Society

J. Bolhari ¹ (دانشیار، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی تهران،ریاست انستیستو روانپزشکی تهران)
Gh. Naziri ² (استادیار گروه روانشناسی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد علوم و تحقیقات فارس)
S. Zamanian ³ (کارشناسی ارشد روانشناسی بالینی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد علوم و تحقیقات فارس)

Received: 2015-12-15 Accepted : 2015-12-15 Published : 2012-03-20

Keywords: Depression, Breast Cancer, stress, anxiety, Spirituality, Spiritual group therapy,

Abstract :

The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a spiritual group therapy approach in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress among women patients with breast cancer. The sample included 24 subjects (aged 18 to 60) selected randomly from among patients who referred to cancer therapy centers in Shiraz, Iran. The participants were then randomly assigned to two groups of experimental (n=12) and control (n=12). All participants were asked to complete the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS-20) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS- 21). The experimental group underwent the spiritual group therapy for 12 sessions, but the control group received no treatment. All the participants took the instruments again as post-tests. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. The results showed that there was a significant reduction of depression (p≤0/0001) among the members of the experimental group. Moreover, the therapy significantly (p≤0/003) improved the spiritual well-being of the subjects in the experimental group.  

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reductions in depression (p≤0/0001) among the members of the therapeutic

group and there were improvement in scores on Spiritual Well-Being Scale

(p≤0/003). Therefore the spiritual group therapy approach can be use as an

effective treatment approach for the reduction of depression Patient with Breast

Cancer; meanwhile it can improve the spiritual-well being of Patient with

Breast Cancer .