P-1482 - Preliminary Assessment of Aplicability and Effectiveness of Group Intervention With Potuguese Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Introduction:

Group intervention with Portuguese cancer patients is not sufficiently documented. The support given to cancer survivors is limited especially in the current difficult economic situation. Group intervention is a cost-benefit solution to be studied.

Objectives and Aims:

This study purposes to explore the applicability and effectiveness of group intervention in Portuguese breast cancer women survivors.Methods. Eighteen survivors of breast cancer participated in this study (mean age = 63, SD = 5.47). The evaluation in the beginning and at the end of the program was based on an individual interview and on the following self-report instruments: HADS, CEC, CCQ, ICAC, TOV-R, EORTC QLQ-C30 and supplement EORTC QLQ-BR23.

Results:

The overall results shows a significant increase in the factor of psychological maturity, measured by the ICAC, from the beginning (MDN = 15) to the end of the program (MDN = 16),z = −2.29,p = .02,r = −.38, and a decrease in interpersonal coping.

Conclusions:

The results of this study demonstrate the applicability of the intervention group to Portuguese breast cancer survivors and indicate that there are potential therapeutic benefits of it. The decrease in interpersonal coping observed seems to confirm the self-concept benefit, because it is comprehensible that as the survivors perceived to have more psychological maturity, more confident in their personal skills they are and, consequently, less needed from their partner support they are.It is important to continue to implement intervention groups with bigger samples. In sum, we can conclude that group intervention is a potential solution to give support to Portuguese breast cancer survivors.