Effect of catharsis and cognitive behavior intervention on anxiety and depression among breast cancer patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of catharsis therapy and cognitive behavior intervention on anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy. Methods Ninety-seven breast cancer patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy were randomly divided into experimental group (47cases) and control group (50 cases) . The control group received routine care, while the experimental group received routine care and comprehensive intervention mainly including catharsis therapy, cognitive education and relaxation training. The anxiety and depression of those patients were evaluated with Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) before and after intervention. The changes of anxiety and depression were compared between the two groups. Results After intervention,the scores of anxiety and depression in the experimental group were significantly lower(P<0.01). Conclusions The anxiety and depression of breast cancer patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy can be eased by catharsis therapy and cognitive behavior intervention. Key words: Intervention studies; Breast cancer; Cognitive therapy; Catharsis therapy; Anxiety; Depression