Development and Evaluation of the Cancer Dyads Group Intervention: Preliminary Findings

Abstract

Despite the fact that importance of primary relationships for cancer patients and their caregivers’ adaptation to illness is well recognized, only a paucity of studies report about clinical interventions for the patient–caregiver dyad. The article presents the Cancer Dyads Group Intervention (CDGI), a supportive group intervention for breast cancer patients and caregivers, and preliminary findings about its effectiveness. A correspondence analysis of the verbatim transcripts of the first three groups was conducted. Findings highlight the evolution of participants during the intervention and confirm the congruence between goals and the participants’ experience. Further investigation of the CDGI effectiveness is necessary.

KEYWORDS:

• psychosocial intervention
• effectiveness
• dyadic coping
• breast cancer patients
• caregivers

Notes

These specific stories have been selected because the patients involved in the study have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

In this article we focus on the variable session (corresponding to the number of sessions of the intervention, from 1 to 8) because a preliminary analysis revealed that the variable group was not significant.

The first patient to introduce herself has been identified as Pt_1 and her caregiver as Cg_1, the second patient has been identified as Pt_2, and so on. This identification is maintained for all the 8 sessions.