Psycho-oncology
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Family members can significantly impact advanced cancer patients' treatment and are important participants in goals of care (GoC) conversations. Yet, research on patient and physician perspectives about family involvement and influence on GoC conversations is limited. Our purpose was to describe patients' and oncologists' perspectives about family involvement and influence on GoC conversations among patients with advanced cancer. ⋯ Patients and oncologists have similar views about family involvement in GoC conversations. Learning how to communicate with family members should be a critical component of physician education in palliative care.
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Researchers are interested in studying whether the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients and caregivers is influenced by internal psychobehavioral processes (temporality and coping strategies) and the personality traits that they or their relatives experience. We examined these associations in a sample of patient-caregiver dyads by using the actor-partner interdependence model. ⋯ The examination of the relationships between individuals' QoL and their internal psychobehavioral processes and personality traits will have several applications in the routine clinical management. Individual-level and dyad-level interventions should be proposed: cognitive-rehabilitation, emotional and cognitive self-regulation for time perspectives, and personality constructs.
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Review Meta Analysis
Kind of blue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of music interventions in cancer treatment.
Music may be a valuable and low-cost coping strategy for cancer patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the psychological and physical effects of music interventions in cancer treatment. ⋯ Music may be a tool in reducing anxiety, pain, and improving mood among patients with cancer in active treatment. However, methodological limitations in the studies conducted so far prevent firm conclusions.
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Contextual self-concealment in the psychooncology literature has been found to be associated with elevated distress. The current study aimed to understand the dyadic relationships of an individual's perception of spousal support and dispositional perspective-taking with own and partner's levels of self-concealment behavior, among couples coping with cancer. ⋯ Findings stress the important roles played by spousal support and perspective-taking in communication patterns between couples affected by cancer. Although the perception of support from one's spouse seems to reduce the need to conceal cancer-related issues, interventions that focus on couples' communication should address the differential implications of perspective-taking, as they can lead to either more or less self-concealment among couples, depending on role and gender.
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To clarify the verbal communication of feelings between families and patients in Japanese palliative care units from the perspective of bereaved family members by examining (1) proportions of families' and patients' verbalization of six feelings (gratitude, love, seeking forgiveness, giving forgiveness, wishes after death, and continuing bonds), (2) recognition of receiving these feelings through verbalization from the family's perspective, and (3) the specific attitudes of family members that influence their verbalizations. ⋯ For both families and patients, verbalizing feelings was difficult. Our results showed that families' and patients' verbalizing and receiving of feelings must be aligned to understand their communication at the end of life in Japan. Future research is needed to verify how attitude helps promote or inhibit verbalization.