A research team, led by the University of Coimbra (UC), is looking for participants for a national clinical trial to understand the effectiveness of two psychological interventions in women with breast carcinoma.
After previous studies have revealed the effectiveness of these interventions, researchers and clinical psychologists now want to understand which intervention is most effective and appropriate for breast cancer.
Women who wish to take part in these psychological interventions can participate free of charge, as they must meet six criteria:
1) be monitored in a radiotherapy service in Portugal (public or private);
2) having been diagnosed with breast carcinoma (stages I-III);
3) is not currently receiving psychotherapy;
4) do not currently have a severe psychiatric disorder (criterion to be assessed through a brief online interview);
5) be able to understand and respond to self-response questionnaires in Portuguese;
6) have access to a computer or tablet and internet. Expressions of interest to participate in the study can be made over the next 12 months, through the website www.projetomind.com.
The interventions, called Mind and Mind Support Group, will take place in a group format, remotely (online), over eight weeks (with one session per week, with an estimated duration of 90 to 120 minutes), which will be implemented by two clinical psychologists. In addition to the initial clinical assessment, to assess compliance with the previously mentioned criteria, participants will be assessed at three more moments, through self-response questionnaires: before the intervention, at the end of the intervention and six months after the end of the intervention. The clinical trial does not interfere with medical treatments and procedures, which will be maintained by all participants.
Currently, in Portugal, “women with breast carcinoma, in general, do not receive any type of psychological intervention in their usual treatment”, explains the project coordinator, researcher at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC ) from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Coimbra (FPCEUC) and professor at the Center for Health and Medical Psychology at the University of Örebro (Sweden), Inês Trindade.
“The interventions that this clinical trial offers are both scientifically proven to be effective in improving the quality of life and mental health in women with this pathology”, adds the researcher. Therefore, with this nationwide study, the research team intends to “test which intervention is most appropriate for the Portuguese context (both in terms of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness) and, in the long term, the implementation of this intervention in the treatment common in women with breast carcinoma”, he explains.
The research project Mind Program for Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial testing the program’s cost-effectiveness and efficacy in changing psychological and biological outcomes in women with breast cancer is funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology.
Several UC teaching and research units (CINEICC, FPCEUC, Faculty of Economics and Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology) participated in this study, as well as other Portuguese institutions (Clínica de Saúde Mental do Porto, Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, Universidade do Porto and Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique) and international (Edge Hill University, United Kingdom; Deakin University, Australia; University of Nicosia, Cyprus; Örebro University, Sweden; Uppsala University, Sweden).
More information about the clinical trial is available at www.projetomind.com.
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