Effectiveness of logotherapy and nutrition counseling on psychological status, quality of life, and dietary intake among breast cancer survivors with depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) can negatively influence multiple facets of survivors' lives including mental health, quality of life (QoL), and dietary behavior. Logotherapy as a psycho-education program may help breast cancer survivors (BCSs) discover their meaning of life throughout distressful events. The present study aimed to determine the effects of logotherapy along with nutrition counseling on psychological status, QoL, and dietary intake among BCSs who were diagnosed with depression.This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 90 BCSs who scored ≥ 14 on Beck's depression test. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups to receive nutrition counseling plus logotherapy (n = 46) or nutrition counseling alone (n = 44) for 8weeks. Primary outcomes (depression, anxiety, and QoL) and secondary outcomes (anthropometric indices, dietary intake, and eating disorder status) were measured at baseline and after 8weeks.All dimensions of QoL, anthropometric measurements, and the compulsive eating scale improved significantly in both groups after 8weeks. A combination of nutrition counseling and logotherapy resulted in a significant reduction in anxiety (P < 0.001) and depression (P < 0.001) scores compared with the nutrition counseling alone. In addition, participants who received logotherapy plus nutrition counseling significantly consumed less energy, carbohydrate, and fat intake after 8weeks compared with the control group (P < 0.001).It can be concluded that logotherapy along with nutrition education would be an important step in improving anxiety, depression, and QoL of patients with BC who had depressive symptoms.Trial registration number: (IR.ACECR.IBCRC.REC.1396.17).