A couple-based intervention for female breast cancer

Area of Science:

• Psychology and Oncology
• Couple-based Interventions
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Breast cancer significantly impacts not only the patient but also their partner and relationship dynamics.
• Existing interventions often focus on the individual, neglecting the couple's dyadic needs during cancer survivorship.
• There is a critical need for couple-centered approaches to support relationship functioning amidst cancer diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a novel couple-based intervention program designed for women with breast cancer and their partners.
• To assess the efficacy of the relationship enhancement (RE) program in mitigating negative effects and enhancing positive functioning.
• To evaluate the intervention's impact on individual psychological, medical, and relationship outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 14 couples where the wife had early-stage breast cancer.
• Random assignment to either a couple-based relationship enhancement (RE) program or treatment-as-usual (TAU).
• Assessment of outcomes at posttest and 1-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Couples in the RE condition reported improved individual psychological functioning for both women and men compared to TAU.
• Enhanced relationship functioning was observed in the RE group at both posttest and 1-year follow-up.
• Women in the RE group experienced a reduction in medical symptoms at both assessment periods.

Conclusions:

• The pilot couple-based relationship enhancement (RE) intervention shows significant promise for improving outcomes in breast cancer couples.
• RE positively impacts individual, medical, and relationship functioning for women with breast cancer and their partners.
• Further large-scale investigation is warranted to confirm these promising findings.