Discussion
The current case study provides a description of a 9-week outpatient intervention protocol that was used to help increase quality of life and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression in a 16-year old female being treated for cancer. The adolescent and young adult cancer population has been identified as a patient group that is particularly vulnerable to psychosocial distress, due to the arrest of developmental milestones that typically occur during this life phase. As such, the development and dissemination of evidence-based psychosocial supports for this group of cancer patients is needed.
To date, although clinical trials are currently underway to demonstrate the effectiveness of CBT in the adolescent and young adult population
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First, our findings suggest that screening for a family history of mental health concerns as well as previous instances of mental health difficulties in adolescents diagnosed with cancer is critical. Facing a diagnosis of cancer, the associated treatment, side and late effects, is extremely stressful and can precipitate the onset of anxiety or mood symptoms, especially for adolescents who may already be at psychosocial risk. Second, a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach that includes evidence-based treatments such as psychoeducation, behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, and symptoms monitoring, can contribute to a decrease in mood and anxiety symptoms for an adolescent being treated for cancer. Additionally, our findings also suggest that taking a multi-disciplinary approach, whereby a patient’s treatment needs can be considered by diverse professionals that provide different approaches, including psychopharmacology, can be advantageous for treatment planning and outcomes. Finally, the use of PRO’s in psychosocial therapy for an adolescent being treated with cancer provides a unique opportunity to closely monitor symptoms while increasing dialogue and reflection about what may be contributing to symptoms. Future research should evaluate psychosocial interventions that can be implemented with adolescents and young adults who
Lauren Smith is a five year old Caucasian girl who is demonstrating anxiety when separated from her mother. The family was referred to this service by their pediatrician. Over the past few months, Mr. and Mrs. Smith report Lauren has become increasingly troubled when being separated from her mother. She cries while clinging to her each morning before school and her father describes having to “pry her off” and carry her to the car. Lauren’s parents are also concerned with regressive behavior; she is speaking more often in third person when referring to herself, and she has also begun wetting the bed nearly every night. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had a conference with Lauren’s teacher two weeks ago at which time she told them Lauren was having difficulty concentrating and completing her work. The teacher also voiced concerns about her lack of interest in participating in group activities; she appears to prefer to play by herself. The parents report that Lauren is otherwise healthy and has been meeting age appropriate developmental milestones.
The empirical data provided in the clip supports the information on CBT. In the most recent studies on CBT that is, TADS (2007), ADAPT (2007) and TORDIA (2010) they provide an insight on effectiveness of CBT when combined with medication. It is this data points out a 40% of ineffectiveness of CBT. This means that there is still room for
Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it
Radl, Donna M. (2015) conducted the literature research that up to 43% of cancer patients were appearing emotional problems after the cancer diagnoses and treatments.
Family caregivers struggle with tensions and dilemmas during a period in which their whole life changes dramatically. Research has documented the effect that the patient's cancer has on the emotional, physical, social, and spiritual well being of the caregiver. This increased responsibility for the caregiver can come at great cost to the overall functioning of the entire family, because of role alterations, changes in the family structure, and financial stressors, among others. There also is a physical, emotional, and financial toll associated with caregiving. Caregivers can experience adverse effects on their mental and physical health that can remain long after the caregiving role has
The author’s meta-analysis article is concerned with people who are depressed and are suffering from cancer which is spreading to other parts of their body. In Australia, where researchers conducted their analysis, various forms of group therapies were administered to assist cancer patients with depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Regardless of the group therapy given or the terminal status of their disease, those who were able-bodied enough to experience therapy saw minimal to no results, and if there were favorable results, the positive results declined over time. The only exception to the outcomes of these studies happened in 1982, men were given individual therapy and after three months of treatment the patients’ sense
After the ethical examination of both therapeutic and enhancement gene modification, it can be stated that therapeutic gene modification is a good thing and enhancement gene modification can be a bad thing. But the other issue is where do you draw the line between the two gene modifications. On paper it might seem like a clear cut distinction but take the example of children who use human growth hormone. Assume a child has a medical condition and their treatment stunts their growth, so they are prescribed human growth hormone. The human growth hormone is able to help the child grow to his normal hight thus returning him to the baseline. But now that there is a doctor prescribing human growth hormone, and different parent hear about this treatment
Ph.D. degree acquired authors, Ronald L. Blount, Ronald T. Brown, and Natalie C. Frank, conducted a study focused on predictors of the overall psychological adjustment in children who are battling cancer. They concentrated on anxiety and depression levels and how the child externalizes behavior. There were 83 children who participated in this study of ages ranging from 7 to 18 years. After obtaining parental and child consent, the researchers proceeded to give each
There are a few participant characteristics and selective manipulating that will be done when controlling the intervention protocol. These caregivers will then be involved with sessions and viewing the new patient web-based tutorial tab. There are various components that will be utilized for inclusion criteria. Participants will need to be of the age 18 or older and reside within Springfield, MO. The family caregivers must be presently caring for a loved one diagnosed with cancer and a patient at either Cox or Mercy Hospital. The participants of the study must also be currently
“The Well-Being of Children Impacted by a Parent with Cancer: An Integrative Review” was published in collaboration with Julia Morris, Angelita Martini, and David Preen. In the summer of 2016, the three authors finalized their research project and published it in the scientific journal, Supportive Care in Cancer. Julia Morris, Angelita Martini, and David Preen are all editors in the Supportive Care in Cancer Medical Journal and also affiliated with the “Centre for Health Services Research School of Population Health” at the University of Western Australia in Crawley, Australia. This article is beneficial to the initial research inquiry, “How does Cancer Affect Family Members,” because it specifically relates to the children in the family. This article places an emphasis on the psychological and mental effects cancer has on children, specific coping mechanisms, and how this traumatic disease changes a child for the better. Cancer is an atrocious disease that affects both the children and parents. However, in certain cases, cancer helps bring out the best in maturing children.
As established in the National Cancer Institute, “Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide for children and adolescents in America, accounting for more than 91,250 children that lose their lives to this disease” (National Cancer Institute). Cancer is not considered a terminal illness, but more of a chronic illness because of the intense treatment that the individual has to endure. As a result of this treatment the chances of survival for children suffering from pediatric cancer has increased around 80 percent. The increment in the survival rate has made it possible for many parents to not have to go through the acceptance that they are about to lose their child to a terminal illness, but have coping strategies that will make them adapt to the fear of the reoccurrence of that illness. This illness has a great impact on the patient as well as the family because not only do they have to adapt to this illness physically, but also mentally. Research has shown that there are both short term and long term effects that come into effect when the child is both in treatment and also years after the treatment. The type of cancers that these adolescents have to endure range from leukemia, brain tumors and other cancerous tumors that have appeared in recent medical studies. These tumors can either be benignant, an acute case that is non-cancerous or malignant, a cancerous case that will need intense treatment over an extended period of time.While many would say there is more of a
An empowering patient education intervention which interests me is the “fully automated computer-tailored Web -based self-management intervention” which was developed by Kanker Nazorg Wijzer (KNW [Cancer Aftercare Guide]). Supporting early cancer survivors to sufficiently manage psychosocial criticisms and to encourage a healthy and vigorous lifestyle was the main aim for the development of the intervention.
Today, many psychologists feel that psychological therapy can give cancer patients’ a longer life. The first to take this stance was Psychiatrist David Spiegel M.D., of Stanford University School of Medicine, in a 1989 study Spiegel gathered patients once a week to discuss there feelings about the cancer and here they received support from other cancer sufferers. “When Spiegel followed up a decade later, he discovered that patients who had participated in the sessions had survived an average of 18 months longer than those in the control group” (Clay,2000). It is felt that if you can tap into a patients mind and help them deal with the cancer by dealing in the mental aspect of it that it will be
Breast cancer can take a huge toll on a woman’s physical health, as well as emotional and mental health. Many women have trouble adjusting to chemotherapy, hospitals, the impact on family relationships, and the fact that they are faced with possible death. These factors can cause depression, anxiety, loss of self-esteem, and physical pain. Luckily, there are resources for women going through breast cancer to regain happiness and motivation to beat the disease. Oncology counselors commonly use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and group therapy to help patients’ symptoms of depression and stress. CBT and group therapies are found to be effective for breast cancer patients.