Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cancer Distress Reduction with a Couple-Based Skills Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

There are few interventions for couples facing cancer.

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the utility of providing dyadic skills to these couples.

Methods

Woman recently diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer and their partners were randomly assigned to either a couple-skills intervention (Side by Side) or to cancer education (Couples Control Program). Assessments with self-report and behavioral observation of both partners were conducted four times over 16 months.

Results

Multilevel analyses of data from 72 participating couples suggest that females receiving Side by Side showed larger reductions in fear of progression, and couples reported less avoidance in dealing with the cancer, more posttraumatic growth, and better relationship skills relative to the Couples Control Program. All differences favoring Side by Side disappeared by 16 months after the diagnosis.

Conclusion

Short-term changes in functioning may be improved by enhancing couples’ dyadic skills during acute medical treatment of the disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stanton AL, Revenson TA, Tennen H. Health psychology. Psychological adjustment to chronic disease. Annu Rev Psychol. 2007; 58: 564–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Baanders AN, Heijmans MJ. The impact of chronic disease: The partner’s perspective. Fam Community Health. 2007; 30: 305–317.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hagedoorn M, Sanderman R, Bolks H, Tuinstra J, Coyne JC. Distress in couples coping with cancer: A meta-analysis and critical review of role and gender effects. Psychological Bulletin. 2008; 134: 1–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sullivan LJ, Baucom DH. Observational coding of relationship-schematic processing. J of Marital Fam Ther. 2005; 31: 31–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Scott JL, Kayser K. A review of couple-based interventions for enhancing women’s sexual adjustment and body image after cancer. Cancer J. 2009; 15: 48–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Manne SL, Ostroff J, Norton TR, Fox K, Goldstein L, Grana G. Cancer-related relationship communication in couples coping with early stage breast cancer. Psycho-Oncol. 2006; 15: 234–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Badr H, Taylor CLC. Effects of relationship maintenance on psychological distress and dyadic adjustment among couples coping with lung cancer. Health Psychol. 2008; 27: 616–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Baucom DH, Porter LS, Kirby JS, et al. A couple-based intervention for female breast cancer. Psycho-Oncol. 2009; 18: 276–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Manne S, Winkel G, Grana G, et al. Couple-focused group intervention for women with early stage breast cancer. J Consult Clin Psych. 2005; 73: 634–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Scott J, Halford K, Ward B. United we stand? The effects of a couple-coping intervention on adjustment to early stage breast or gynecological cancer. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2004; 72: 1122–1135.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kayser K, Feldman BN, Borstelmann N, Daniels A. The effects of a randomized couple-based intervention on the quality of life of breast cancer patients and their partners. J Soc Work Res. 2010; 34: 20–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Epstein N, Baucom DH. Enhanced cognitive-behavioral therapy for couples: A contextual approach. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2002.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Karney BR, Bradbury TN. The longitudinal course of marital quality and stability: A review of theory, methods, and research. Psychol Bull. 1995; 118: 3–34.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bodenmann G, Pihet S, Kayser K. The relationship between dyadic coping and marital quality: A 2-year longitudinal study. J Fam Psychol. 2006; 20: 485–493.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Herschbach P, Marten-Mittag B, Henrich G. Revision und psychometrische Prüfung des Fragebogen zur Belastung von Krebskranken (FBK-R23). Zeitschrift für Med Psychol. 2003; 12: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mehnert P, Herschbach P, Berg G, Henrich U, Koch U. Progredienzangst bei Brustkrebspatientinnen—Validierung der Kurzform des Progredienzangstfragebogens (PA-F-KF). Z Psychosom Med Psychother. 2006; 52: 274–288.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Fawzy IF. Changes in the dealing with illness questionnaire. Unpublished data, included in the packet containing the instrument and scoring information for the “Dealing with Illness Inventory-Revise”. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA School of Medicine; 1992

  18. Namir S, Wolcott DL, Fawzy IF, Alumbaugh J. Coping with AIDS: Psychological and health implications. J Appl Soc Psychol. 1987; 17: 309–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tedeschi RG, Calhoun LG. The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. J Trauma Stress. 1996; 9: 455–471.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Norton R. Measuring marital quality: A critical look at the dependent variable. J Marriage Fam. 1983; 45: 141–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Spanier GB. Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. J Marriage Fam. 1976; 38: 15–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hahlweg K. Fragebogen zur Partnerschaftsdiagnostik (FPD). [Questionnaire for Couple Assessment]. Göttingen: Hogrefe; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bodenmann G. Dyadisches coping inventar [dyadic coping inventory]. Bern: Huber; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Heinrichs N, Zimmermann T. Bewältigung einer gynäkologischen Krebserkrankung in der Partnerschaft. Ein psychoonkologisches Behandlungsprogramm für Paare. [Coping with gynecological cancer in a relationship: A psycho-oncological treatment program for couples] Göttingen: Hogrefe; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zimmermann T, Heinrichs N, Scott JL. Cancope “Schritt für Schritt”: Die Effektivität eines partnerschaftlichen Unterstützungsprogramms bei Frauen mit Brust- oder gynäkologischen Krebserkrankungen. Verhaltenstherapie. 2006; 16: 247–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Markman H, Stanley S, Blumberg S. Fighting for your marriage (revised and updated edition). San Francisco: Jossey Bass, Inc; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hahlweg K, Thurmaier F, Engl J, Eckert V., Markman HJ. Prävention von Beziehungsstörungen [Prevention of relationship disorders]. System Familie. 1993; 6: 89–100

    Google Scholar 

  28. Bodenmann G. Dyadic coping and the 3-phase-method in working with couples. In: VandeCreek L, ed. Innovations in clinical practice: Focus on group and family therapy. Sarasota: Professional Resources Press; 2007: 235–252.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Littell RC, Milliken GA, Stroup WW, Wolfinger RD. SAS system for mixed models. Cary, NC: SAS Institute; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Snijders TA, Bosker RJ. Multilevel analysis: An introduction to basic and advanced multilevel modeling. London: Sage; 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Singer JD. Using SAS PROC MIXED to fit multilevel models, hierarchical models, and individual growth models. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics. 1998; 23: 323–355.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bodenmann G, Charvoz L, Cina A, Widmer, K. Prevention of marital distress by enhancing the coping skills of couples: 1-year follow-up-study. Swiss J. of Psych. 2001; 60: 3–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Grant Support

This research was supported by a grant assigned to the first and fourth authors funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), HE 3342/2-1 and HE 2231/3-1.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose. The first and second authors receive an annual honorarium which consists of a small percentage of the manual sales for the intervention manual (Side by Side).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, P.O. Box 01 10 31, Bielefeld, Germany

    Nina Heinrichs Ph.D.

  2. Institute of Psychology, University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

    Tanja Zimmermann Ph.D.

  3. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Birgit Huber Dipl.-Psych. & Peter Herschbach Ph.D.

  4. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Daniel W. Russell Ph.D.

  5. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Donald H. Baucom Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Nina Heinrichs Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tanja Zimmermann Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Birgit Huber Dipl.-Psych.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peter Herschbach Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Daniel W. Russell Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Donald H. Baucom Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nina Heinrichs Ph.D..

Electronic Supplementary Materials

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Appendix 1

(DOC 39 kb)

Appendix 2

(DOC 40 kb)

Fig. A1

(DOC 747 kb)

Table A1

(DOC 35 kb)

About this article

Cite this article

Heinrichs, N., Zimmermann, T., Huber, B. et al. Cancer Distress Reduction with a Couple-Based Skills Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial. ann. behav. med. 43, 239–252 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9314-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-011-9314-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation