Positive Psychology Approaches to Interventions for Cancer Dyads: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Oncology
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Positive psychology approaches (PPAs) focus on enhancing positive cognitions, emotions, and behaviors.
• Dyadic interventions, involving interdependent pairs, may amplify PPA benefits.
• PPAs in the cancer context, particularly for dyads, represent a nascent area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of dyadic PPA-based interventions in cancer care.
• To identify existing research evidence and gaps in this field.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was performed following PRISMA guidelines.
• Included studies involved PPAs delivered to adult dyads, comprising a cancer patient and a support person.
• Support persons included family caregivers and intimate partners.

Main Results:

• The review included 48 studies with 28 unique interventions.
• The most common support person role was "caregiver" (53.8%), followed by spouse (41.0%).
• PPAs were frequently combined with other components like education, targeting individual well-being and dyadic coping.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in the types and functions of PPAs used, as well as their targeted outcomes.
• Further research is required to standardize definitions and terminology.
• Understanding the specific mechanisms through which PPAs operate in dyadic cancer interventions is crucial.