Rational-emotive behavioral intervention helped patients with cancer and their caregivers to manage psychological distress and anxiety symptoms

World J Clin Oncol. 2019 Feb 24;10(2):62-66. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v10.i2.62.

Abstract

There is a dearth of evidence-based data on how psychological distress and death anxiety symptoms experienced by cancer patients and caregivers are treated in developing regions. This article sheds light on the report of the findings from a 2016 study that revealed a rational-emotive behavioral intervention helped a select group of cancer patients and their family caregivers to manage problematic assumptions, psychological distress, and death anxiety symptoms in Nigeria. Based on my experience as a co-investigator and corresponding author of this previous study, I addressed the challenges of conducting such a study and the implications for future research in this article. This article encourages future researchers to replicate the study and endeavor to overcome the limitations of the previous study. Funders were also encouraged to ensure increased access to funds for conducting similar studies with cancer patients and their family caregivers in developing countries and other parts of the world.

Keywords: Cancer patients; Caregivers; Death anxiety; Psychological distress; Psychological intervention; Rational-emotive behavioral intervention; Rational-emotive hospice care therapy.

Publication types

  • Review