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Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management for Healthy Women at Risk for Breast Cancer: a Novel Application of a Proven Intervention

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Women at risk for breast cancer report elevated psychological distress, which has been adversely associated with cancer-relevant behaviors and biology.

Purpose

The present study sought to examine the effects of a 10-week cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) group intervention on distress among women with a family history of breast cancer.

Methods

Participants were randomly assigned to CBSM (N = 82) or a wait-list comparison group (N = 76). Baseline to postintervention effects of CBSM on depressive symptoms and perceived stress were examined using hierarchical regression.

Results

CBSM participants reported significantly lower posttreatment depressive symptoms (β = −0.17, p < 0.05) and perceived stress (β = −0.23, p < 0.05) than wait-list comparison participants. Additionally, greater relaxation practice predicted lower distress.

Conclusions

Group-based CBSM intervention is feasible and can reduce psychological distress among women with a family history of breast cancer. The present findings represent an encouraging avenue for the future application of CBSM. (Clinicaltrials.gov number NCT00121160)

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute (K07 CA107085-01 (McGregor) and 1 R21 CA134813-01A2 (McGregor)).

Authors’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

Authors Bonnie A. McGregor, Ph.D.; Emily D. Dolan, Ph.D.; Timothy S. Sannes, Ph.D.; Krista B. Highland, Ph.D.; Denise L. Albano, M.P.H.; Alison A. Ward, Ph.D.; Anna M. Charbonneau, Ph.D.; Mary W. Redman, Ph.D.; Karly M. Murphy, M.S.; and Rachel M. Ceballos, Ph.D., declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M3-B232, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA

    Bonnie A. McGregor Ph.D., Karly M. Murphy M.S., Denise L. Albano M.P.H., Alison A. Ward Ph.D., Anna M. Charbonneau Ph.D. & Rachel M. Ceballos Ph.D.

  2. Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Bonnie A. McGregor Ph.D. & Rachel M. Ceballos Ph.D.

  3. Shelter Research and Development, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New York, NY, USA

    Emily D. Dolan Ph.D.

  4. Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Timothy S. Sannes Ph.D.

  5. Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Krista B. Highland Ph.D.

  6. Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M3-B232, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA

    Mary W. Redman Ph.D.

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  1. Bonnie A. McGregor Ph.D.
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  2. Emily D. Dolan Ph.D.
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  3. Karly M. Murphy M.S.
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  7. Alison A. Ward Ph.D.
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  9. Mary W. Redman Ph.D.
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  10. Rachel M. Ceballos Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bonnie A. McGregor Ph.D..

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McGregor, B.A., Dolan, E.D., Murphy, K.M. et al. Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management for Healthy Women at Risk for Breast Cancer: a Novel Application of a Proven Intervention. ann. behav. med. 49, 873–884 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9726-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9726-z

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