Stagl, J.M., Antoni, M.H., Lechner, S.C., Bouchard, L.C., Blomberg, B.B., Gluck, S., . . . Carver, C.S. (2015). Randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral stress management in breast cancer: A brief report of effects on five-year depressive symptoms. Health Psychology, 34, 176–180.

To determine if group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) following surgery for breast cancer had long-term benefits for depressive symptoms

Women who previously participated in a single-blind RCT of 10 weeks of a group-based cognitive behavioral intervention versus a one-day psychoeducational control condition were contacted five years later for follow-up assessment. Patients were mailed a questionnaire to complete.

• N = 130
• MEAN AGE: 62.5 years
• FEMALES: 100%
• KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: 88.4% were disease free at follow-up.

• SITE: Single site  
• SETTING TYPE: Home  
• LOCATION: Miami, FL

• PHASE OF CARE: Late effects and survivorship

• Follow up post-RCT

• Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)

Women who had participated in the CBT intervention reported fewer depressive symptoms (d = 0.32, p = 0.03). The power to detect this difference was 0.93.

Findings suggest that CBT-approach interventions had long-term benefit in reducing depressive symptoms among women with breast cancer.

• The measure for depression was different from what was used in the initial study, and it is unclear whether patients had clinically relevant depression to begin with.

Cognitive behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective interventions for depression. This study suggests that CBT benefits can be long lasting. Alhough most nurses do not provide full CBT, principles of the CBT approach can be readily incorporated into nursing care and psychoeducational interventions. This approach can be recommended for use.