Facilitating online support groups for cancer patients: the learning experience of psycho‐oncology clinicians

Objective: Counsellor familiarity and engagement with technology‐mediated communication represents an important factor in the ability to implement support programs to cancer patients. This study describes the experiences of a cohort of expert psycho‐oncology counsellors who learned to facilitate online support groups (OSGs) and identifies the important elements of their learning experience that led to their engagement. Procedure and method: Six psycho‐oncology counsellors were trained to facilitate OSGs and later facilitated OSGs in their own practice context. They subsequently reflected on and discussed their experiences with OSGs over time: in a panel discussion within 6 months of training, and in two focus groups. A participatory method was used to describe and interpret key elements of the learning process. Results and discussion: Three themes of the counsellors' learning experience emerged: immersion in experiential learning, perceptions of clinical value and benefit, and overcoming challenges with adapted skills. Counsellors described components of their experiential learning: co‐facilitating online cancer support groups with an expert, debriefing online, and participating in an online peer supervision group, as critical to their becoming engaged. Despite initial challenges, the counsellors learned new skills, and adapted known clinical skills, to the text‐only environment. Conclusion: With appropriate training and practice over time, counsellors familiar with delivering face‐to‐face support groups to cancer patients became skilled and engaged in leading OSG's for cancer patients. Learning to facilitate OSGs shifted practice by significantly expanding the scope of services they were able to provide their patients and has implications for expanding access to support services. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2014 President's plenary international psycho‐oncology society: moving toward cancer care for the whole patient

The International Psycho‐oncology Society (IPOS) has just celebrated its 30th anniversary. The growth of psychosocial oncology has been exponential, and this relatively new field is becoming a core service that focuses on prevention, reducing the burden of cancer, and enhancing the quality of life from time of diagnosis, through treatment, survivorship, and palliative care. Looking back over the past 30 years, we see that cancer care globally has evolved to a new and higher standard. Today, ‘cancer care for the whole patient’ is being accomplished with an evidence‐based model that addresses psychosocial needs and integrates psycho‐oncology into the treatment and care of patients. The President's Plenary Session in Lisbon, Portugal, highlighted the IPOS Mission of promoting global excellence in psychosocial care of people affected by cancer through our research, public policy, advocacy, and education. The internationally endorsed IPOS Standard of Quality Cancer Care, for example, clearly states the necessity of integrating the psychosocial domain into routine care, and that distress should be measured as the sixth vital sign after temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and pain. The plenary paper also discussed the global progress being made in Europe, North America, and Australia in providing quality cancer care for the whole patient. Collaborative partnerships between IPOS and organizations such as the European Partnership Action Against Cancer and the World Health Organization are essential in building capacity for the delivery of high‐quality psycho‐oncology services in the future. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effectiveness of a psycho‐educational group after early‐stage breast cancer treatment: results of a randomized French study

Background: Many women with breast cancer need psychological help to cope more effectively after treatment. Cognitive and behavioural techniques are not yet well established in France. A multi‐site randomized study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a psycho‐educational group intervention in this population. Methods: Two hundred and three patients, recruited after primary treatment, were randomly assigned either to a treatment group (psycho‐educational intervention) or to a waiting‐list control group. The 8‐week programme of 2 h sessions comprised of thematic discussions, information and training in stress management techniques. Evaluation at baseline, after 8 sessions, and 1 month after programme completion, included evaluations using the STAI, POMS, MAC, EORTC QLQ‐C30 and EORTC QLQ‐BR23 breast module scales. Results: We observed a significant reduction in anxiety (STAI, POMS) among group participants, a reduction in anger, depression and fatigue (POMS), a significant improvement in vigor and interpersonal relationships (POMS), in emotional and role functioning, in health status and fatigue level (EORTC QLQ‐C30). In contrast, coping strategies (MAC) were not significantly different between groups. No group‐related negative effects were observed and the global satisfaction levels were very high. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of a psycho‐educational intervention, which can accelerate the reduction of those negative affects which are present at the end of treatment. It represents an excellent complement or an alternative to individual psycho‐oncologic therapeutic support, widely proposed in France, and should now be tested in groups with other types of cancer and at other disease phases. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.