The effects of personal construct group therapy on breast cancer survivors

In this study, the authors evaluated the effects of a brief personal construct group therapy on breast cancer survivors (N=42) randomly assigned to either the treatment or wait-list control condition. The Gottschalk Gleser Content Analysis Scales were used to measure the effects for group across time (pre- and posttreatment, pretreatment, and 3-month posttreatment) on the personal construct states of threat, threat to existence, dislocation, and hope. Analyses showed that the beneficial effects of therapy achieved posttreatment were maintained at 3-month follow-up. The therapeutic group factors (I. D. Yalom, 1995) identified by the therapy group members as helpful in achieving these outcomes are also reported.