Randomized Psychosocial Interventions for Breast Cancer: Impact on Life Purpose

Women with early stage breast cancer randomized to an 8-week education group intervention reported significantly more life purpose 2 weeks after the intervention ended compared to usual-care controls.

Effect: improvement; β = 0.23

The education intervention had a marginal, non-significant effect on perceived physical health at 2 weeks post-intervention among women with early stage breast cancer.

Effect: null; β = 0.15

Women with early or late stage breast cancer randomized to an 8-week peer support group intervention had significantly fewer depressive symptoms 2 weeks after the intervention ended compared to usual-

Effect: improvement; b = −1.02

Women with early or late stage breast cancer randomized to an 8-week peer support group intervention reported significantly greater life purpose 2 weeks after the intervention ended compared to usual-

Effect: improvement; β = 0.13

Neither the education nor the peer support intervention had any significant or marginal effects on any outcome measure at the 6-month follow-up, indicating that all short-term benefits had dissipated.

Effect: null

The education intervention did not significantly increase participants' confidence in their ability to cope with their cancer experience, contrary to the hypothesis that confidence would mediate educa

Effect: null