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Existentially Oriented Group Intervention for Patients With Heart Failure: Intervention Development and Preliminary
Noa Vilchinsky1, Yaffit Horowitz, Eran Bar-Kalifa
1Noa Vilchinsky, PhD Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. Yaffit Horowitz, MA MA Student, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. Eran Bar-Kalifa, PhD Senior Lecturer, Psychology Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. Tatiana Berlin, MD Director of the HF clinic, The HF Clinic, Department of Cardiology, Meir Medical Center, Kefar Saba; and Sourasky School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel. Morris Mosseri, MD Head of the Cardiology Department, The HF Clinic, Department of Cardiology, Meir Medical Center, Kefar Saba; and Sourasky School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.
Background:
Patients with heart failure (HF) cope with a chronic, life-threatening, particularly disabling medical condition. Their well-being is considered to be at a greater risk than that of patients with any other cardiovascular disease, and their psychological distress is associated with a worse prognosis. These patients are often preoccupied with existential concerns such as fear of death, loneliness, and a loss of sense of meaning. However, there is a dearth of literature regarding psychological interventions that address these issues among this population.
Aims:
We, the authors of the current pilot study, present the development and initial implementation of a novel protocol: "existentially oriented group intervention for patients with heart failure." Our aims were to test the intervention's feasibility, as well as to explore patients' subjective experience of it.
Methods:
The intervention (consisting of seven 1-hour weekly sessions) was applied to 2 consecutive groups. Twelve patients coping with HF levels III and IV-according to the New York Heart Association classification-from a hospital-based HF clinic participated. The Narrative Evaluation of Intervention Interview was applied.
Results:
Although high dropout levels were detected, the patients who fully participated in the program reported on satisfaction and progress in the following 4 domains: personal growth, social support, self-worth, and mastery.
Conclusions:
On the basis of our preliminary findings, the "existentially oriented group intervention for patients with heart failure" is recommended to be further tested among patients coping with HF.
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