Impact of the Cognitive-Behavioral Approach and Psychoeducational Intervention in Breast Cancer Management: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.

Abstract

(1) Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy in women. High cancer-related psychological distress levels have been observed in BC patients, with a potentially relevant impact on disease management, compliance with disease treatments, and everyday life activities and relationships. This work evaluated the effectiveness of three individual cognitive–behavioral therapy psychoeducational sessions versus a self-managed informative guide with individual counseling sessions without specific psychological treatment. (2) Methods: the intervention group received three individual 50-min sessions of psychoeducational training, and the control group received a self-managed informative guide with individual counseling sessions without any kind of psychological treatment. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), the Distress Thermometer (DT), and the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) QLQ-C30 were administered at baseline and two months after study inclusion. (3) Results: A total of 60 participants were included in the study (intervention group: 30, control group: 30). Significant improvements were observed in both groups after two months (p < 0.05), but no statistically significant differences emerged between groups. (4) Conclusions: Psychoeducational interventions and CBT help BC patients manage disease-related fear and distress, allowing them to achieve a good quality of life.