Article
How to treat Fear of progression (FOP)? – Results of a randomized evaluation study
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Published: | March 20, 2006 |
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Outline
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What if my disease progresses? The fear connected to this question is one of the most important causes of distress in patients with cancer. This fear of progression (FOP) has to be differentiated from irrational fears and can affect quality of life in such an enduring way, that it has to be treated. The far reaching consequences of FOP lead to the development and psychometric testing of a specific questionnaire (FOP-Q; [Ref. 1]) and conceptualisation and evaluation of a specific therapy for dysfunctional FOP. Two therapeutic concepts were designed: one rather non-directive encounter group and one group based on cognitive behaviour therapy. In the first, the patients select the therapeutic topics, share common emotional experiences and social support. In the latter, a patient learns to confront himself with his fear, learns to think out his fear and so learns to cope with it. Both therapies aim at enabling the patient to manage his fear rather than to eliminate it, so that he can win back quality of life. Course and amount of the developed therapies can be adjusted to the setting conditions of the facility, in which the therapy takes place. We worked in three rehabilitation clinics and conducted four sessions, with 120 minutes each, within 10 days and with a closed group of patients. The evaluation is based on a prospective comparison group design with external randomisation. The data (FOP-Q, HADS, FLZM, SF-12) from 174 cancer- and 174 rheumatism-patients were evaluated. The measures were done pre, post, 3 and 12 month after treatment. We shall present the results of the therapy evaluation study. The data point at a significant and meaningful decrease of FOP-Scores over one year.
References
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- Herschbach P, Berg P, Dankert A, Duran-Atzinger G, Engst-Hastreiter U, Waadt S, Keller MR, Ukat & Henrich G. Fear of Progression in Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer and Chronic Arthritis - Psychometric Properties of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire (FoP-Q). Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2005;58:505-11.