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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
10:10
Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
Determinants of psychological functioning in patients undergoing radiotherapy: a descriptive study
1Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. mmkrisch@wustl.edu
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
|December 2, 2008
Summary
This study examined psychological well-being in 156 radiotherapy patients, finding that while most had low distress, some experienced high anxiety that decreased during treatment. Demographic factors like marital status and diagnosis influenced initial distress levels.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychology
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Psychological well-being is crucial during cancer radiotherapy.
- Previous studies on quality of life in radiotherapy patients often involve smaller, less diverse populations.
- Understanding individual differences in psychological distress is important for patient support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To confirm literature findings on psychological well-being during radiotherapy.
- To identify demographic predictors of baseline psychological distress and changes during treatment.
- To analyze distress variability in a large, multi-site radiotherapy population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized control data from a stress management intervention study (N=156).
- Administered SF-36, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at baseline and Weeks 1, 2, and 3.
- Employed an individual differences perspective to analyze demographic predictors.
Main Results:
- Patients generally reported low baseline psychological distress, aligning with norms.
- Significant variation in anxiety levels was observed; high baseline anxiety decreased during treatment.
- Marital status, diagnosis, gender, education, and income predicted baseline distress.
- Cancer type, income, and education predicted changes in distress during treatment.
Conclusions:
- Radiotherapy patients exhibit varied psychological distress, with some benefiting from treatment-related anxiety reduction.
- Demographic factors play a significant role in predicting both initial distress and its trajectory.
- This study highlights the importance of personalized approaches considering individual patient characteristics.
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