Positive self-talk intervention to decrease Anxiety and Depression in breast cancer patients

Introduction: Breast cancer patients may experience many psychosocialproblems. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness ofa positive self-talk (PST) intervention in anxiety, depression and improving thepsychological well-being of breast cancer patients.Methods: Participants (n = 48) were recruited from Shohadaye TajrishHospital. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control (n = 24) or anintervention (n = 24) condition. The intervention group was pre-tested, receiveda 2-hour PST in-person group workshop and a 10-minute session by telephone,and completed post-test Questionnaires 1 month later.Results: Intervention participants reviewed the workshop favorably. Nearly allparticipants used the intervention, were able to accurately describe how PSTworks, and found that PST had a considerable impact on their ability to copewith cancer. However, the descriptive findings from the workshop evaluationdid not translate into significant differences between the intervention andcontrol groups on the psychometric measures.Conclusions: The PST intervention, delivered in a community group model,was positively received and effective in teaching participants about PST andhow PST can be used to enhance coping skills for breast cancer patients.However, the intervention promotes significantly greater levels of change inanxiety, depression, mood disturbance.

Keywords:

Positive self-talk , intervention , anxiety , depression