Helping Couples Cope with Women's Cancers

Helping Couples Cope with Women's Cancers

Author: Karen Kayser

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

ISBN: 9780387748023

Category: Health & Fitness

Page: 233

View: 380

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"Kayser and Scott have written an excellent manual for mental health practitioners who care for women with cancer. To provide the best treatment for women and couples living with cancer, it is imperative for the therapist to have a thorough understanding of medical treatments as well as normal responses to the experience. Readers of this well-written, thoughtful, and practical book will have both." -Hester Hill Schnipper, LICSW, BCD, OSW-C, Chief, Oncology Social Work, BIDMC, Author, After Breast Cancer: A Commonsense Guide to Life After Treatment Close relationships can be vital to a woman’s recovery from breast or gynecological cancer and the myriad stressors that accompany diagnosis and treatment. Helping Couples Cope with Women’s Cancer shows readers not only how to enlist the patient’s closest support person in coping with the disease, but also to help that partner with the stressors, such as feelings of inadequacy and loss, that so often come with the role. The authors, established experts on their subject, recognize the challenges couples face, the central role of communication in coping, and the individuality of each patient and couple. In addition to proven intervention techniques and helpful assessment tools, the book features case illustrations, "What to do if..." sections, sociocultural considerations, and suggestions for when the patient’s caregiver is not her partner. Key areas of coverage include: Assessment: quality of life, impact of illness, family resources. Balancing work, family, self-care, and the demands of illness. Cognitive coping, relaxation, stress reduction. Body image, sexuality, and intimacy. Helping children cope: developmental guidelines. Transitions: goal-setting, life after cancer, facing recurrence or terminal illness. The skills and insights contained in Helping Couples Cope with Women’s Cancers will benefit a range of health and mental health practitioners, including counselors, social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and nurses. Graduate students planning a career in health psychology or couples therapy should also find it a valuable resource.

Breast Cancer Husband

Breast Cancer Husband

Author: Marc Silver

Publisher: Rodale Books

ISBN: 9781605296043

Category: Health & Fitness

Page: 336

View: 765

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A unique guide, like none other on the market-packed with medical information, practical tips, psychological insight, and coping strategies--to help men help the women they love through this trying time. When Marc Silver became a breast cancer husband three years ago, he learned firsthand how frightened and helpless the breast cancer husband feels. He searched in vain for a book that would give him the information and advice he so desperately sought. Now this award-winning journalist has compiled just the kind of emotionally supportive and useful resource that he wished he had been able to consult-to give men the tools they need to help their wives, their families, and themselves through this scary, uncertain time. In his years as a consumer journalist and veteran of the News You Can Use staff at U.S. News & World Report, Marc Silver learned what kind of information and advice on medical crises readers found most valuable. He draws on that experience as he covers in depth all the issues couples coping with breast cancer will have to face during diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. Highlights include: - The shared experiences of other breast cancer husbands - Guidance from top cancer doctors in the country - Advice on when, how, and what to tell your young children - Tips on coping with radiation and chemotherapy - A candid discussion of sex and intimacy following breast cancer surgery More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. At last, with this book, the men who love them have a road map to help them through a difficult and unprecedented journey.

Handbook of Oncology Social Work

Handbook of Oncology Social Work

Author: Grace Christ

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 9780199941933

Category: Social Science

Page: 840

View: 332

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The development of this inaugural Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People With Cancer provides a repository of the scope of oncology social workers' clinical practice, education, research, policy and program leadership in the psychosocial care of people with cancer and their families. It focuses on the unique synergy of social work perspectives, values, knowledge, and skills with the psychosocial needs of cancer patients, their families, and the health care systems in which they are treated. It addresses both the science and art of psychosocial care and identifies the increasing specialization of oncology social work related to its unique knowledge base, skills, role, and the progressive complexity of psychosocial challenges for patients with cancer. This Handbook equips the reader with all that we know today in oncology social work about patient and family centered care, distress screening, genetics, survivorship, care coordination, sociocultural and economic diversity, legal and ethical matters, clinical work with adults living with cancer, cancer across the lifespan, their caregivers and families, pediatrics, loss and grief, professional career development, leadership, and innovation. Our hope is that in reading this Handbook you will identify new areas where each of you can leave your mark as innovators and change agents in our evolving field of practice.

Coping with Breast Cancer

Coping with Breast Cancer

Author: Sharon L. Manne

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 9780190451080

Category: Psychology

Page: 128

View: 144

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Early stage breast cancer can be stressful and upsetting for both the woman dealing with the disease and her partner. This illness can also place a strain on a couple's relationship. However, couples who are able to provide effective support to one another are more likely to adapt well. Focusing on the couple as a unit can promote effective coping for both patients and their partners . This couples-focused group program aims to improve a couple's functioning as a "team" and provides a supportive environment for couples facing similar breast cancer-related issues. Over the course of six sessions, couples learn support and communication skills, as well as techniques to manage stress and enhance intimacy. Modeling by group leaders and other couples facilitates skill acquisition. With continued use, the skills learned in group can have long-term benefits for couples . This guide, along with the corresponding workbook, provides all the information needed to implement this group program. It contains step-by-step instructions for running the group, as well as sample group leader dialogues, in-session activities, and homework assignments. The couple's workbook is designed to be shared by both partners as they work together through the program. By the end of the six weeks, couples will be better equipped as a team to cope with the stresses of cancer and the challenges that may lie ahead. TreatmentsThatWorkTM represents the gold standard of behavioral healthcare interventions! · All programs have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and are backed by years of research · A prestigious scientific advisory board, led by series Editor-In-Chief David H. Barlow, reviews and evaluates each intervention to ensure that it meets the highest standard of evidence so you can be confident that you are using the most effective treatment available to date · Our books are reliable and effective and make it easy for you to provide your clients with the best care available · Our corresponding workbooks contain psychoeducational information, forms and worksheets, and homework assignments to keep clients engaged and motivated · A companion website (www.oup.com/us/ttw) offers downloadable clinical tools and helpful resources · Continuing Education (CE) Credits are now available on select titles in collaboration with PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER)

The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping

The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping

Author: Susan Folkman Ph.D.

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 0199705070

Category: Psychology

Page: 488

View: 533

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Few publications have changed the landscape of contemporary psychology more than Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman's landmark work, Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Its publication in 1984 set the course for years of research on the dynamic processes of psychological stress and coping in human beings. Now more than a quarter-century later, The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping pushes the field even further with a comprehensive overview of the newest and best work in this dynamic subject. Edited by Susan Folkman and comprising chapters by the field's leading scientists, this new volume details the expanded knowledge base that has emerged from extensive research on stress and coping processes over the last several decades. Featuring 22 topic-based chapters -- including two by Folkman -- this volume offers unprecedented coverage of the two primary research topics related to stress and coping: mitigating stress-related harms and sustaining well-being in the face of stress. Both topics are addressed within their relevant contexts, including chronic illness, calamity, bereavement, and social hardship. The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping is an essential reference work for students, practitioners, and researchers across the fields of health psychology, medicine, and palliative care.

Enhancing Couple Coping and Adjustment to Cancer

Enhancing Couple Coping and Adjustment to Cancer

Author: Jennifer Louise Scott

Publisher:

ISBN: OCLC:827174177

Category: Adjustment (Psychology)

Page:

View: 860

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Abstract : Cancer diagnosis and treatment affects the psychological wellbeing of both patients and their partners. Couples who adapt well to their cancer experience are said to engage in 2couple-coping3, a process of conjoint coping and mutual support that forges a shared approach to managing the stressors they encounter. However, most psycho-oncology interventions focus on assisting the patients alone to cope with cancer. Little is known about how to help couples develop a unified stand against cancer, or whether couples who cope as a team are more successful in re-claiming their lives after cancer than patients who wage a solo battle. The present study examined the efficacy of promoting couple coping compared to enhancing the patients{u2019} coping alone. Ninety-four married women with early stage cancer and their partners were randomly assigned to couple-based coping and support training (CanCOPE), individual coping training for the woman, or a medical education control. Couples{u2019} observed support communication, and self-reported psychological distress, coping-effort and sexual adjustment were assessed at diagnosis, after cancer surgery, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Relative to the other conditions, CanCOPE produced significant improvements in couples{u2019} supportive communication, reduced psychological distress and coping effort, and improved sexual adjustment. Training in couple coping rather than individual coping was more effective in facilitating adaptation to cancer. The findings have practical implications for the delivery of psychological support services to women with cancer, as well as broader theoretical implications for the way models of stress and coping have traditionally been conceptualised.

Couples Confronting Cancer

Couples Confronting Cancer

Author: Joy L. Fincannon

Publisher:

ISBN: 0944235255

Category: Adaptability (Psychology)

Page: 292

View: 532

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Cancer can be a painful and powerful disruption to a relationship. This book shows couples how to cope with the stress that cancer can bring and offers information on ways to make relationships stronger through the ordeal.

The Relationship of Involvement in a Support Group, Communication Patterns, and Marital Satisfaction in Couples with a Genetic Mutation for Breast and Ovarian Cancer (BRCA)

The Relationship of Involvement in a Support Group, Communication Patterns, and Marital Satisfaction in Couples with a Genetic Mutation for Breast and Ovarian Cancer (BRCA)

Author: Joanne M. Holbert

Publisher:

ISBN: OCLC:1245491422

Category: BRCA genes

Page: 126

View: 873

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The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relationship between couples‟ communication, marital satisfaction, and involvement in a support group for couples where one partner has a genetic mutation that places him/her at a significant risk for developing cancer. Researchers have investigated marital satisfaction in couples with illness, the role of support groups for couples with illness, and communication about illness. Research looking at genetic risk for illness, however, is limited, especially as it relates to couples‟ relationships. Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in women and ovarian cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer in women. About 10% of breast cancers and about 10% of ovarian cancers are related to a deleterious mutation, referred to as BRCA (Breast Cancer), that can be detected through a blood test. There are many decisions facing individuals and families in dealing with this BRCA mutation, and this stress can cause a great deal of strain on the couple relationship. Support groups are available to help wade through the vast amount of information. However, the role of these support groups on relationship satisfaction has not been studied. A correlational research design examined data from 62 couples who were recruited through a support group called FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered). The couples recruited for the study required that at least one partner be diagnosed with the BRCA mutation. The couples were in a marital or co-habitating relationship. The couples were asked to complete a standardized instrument, the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised, to examine issues impacting their relationship satisfaction. They also completed a demographic questionnaire that included several Likert scale questions regarding support for their BRCA status and involvement in a support group. John Rolland‟s Family Systems-Illness Model (1994) was the lens used in examining the data reported by the participants. The results from this study may provide some information about issues couples with a genetic risk for disease may be facing, how support groups impact coping with this genetic knowledge, and how communication patterns are impacted for these couples. The present study looked at the relationship of the level of involvement in a support group on communication patterns and marital satisfaction in couples where one partner has the BRCA mutation.

Intimacy

Intimacy

Author: Jacquelyn Elnor Johnson

Publisher:

ISBN: PSU:000014879111

Category: Cancer

Page: 204

View: 408

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The author describes her own experiences with cancer, clears up misconceptions about the disease, and offers practical advice on dealing with the changes the disease can bring to one's life.

How Does the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer Affect Interpersonal Relationships?

How Does the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer Affect Interpersonal Relationships?

Author: Melissa M. Kucko

Publisher:

ISBN: OCLC:752298394

Category: Breast

Page: 83

View: 990

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This research project explored women's interpersonal relationships as individuals manage the critical illness of breast cancer. For many women, the diagnosis of breast cancer is a major physical battle; but also an ultimate emotional challenge that can affect every relationship in her life. "From friendships to romance, from being a parent to being a daughter, the way she relate to everyone and the way they relate to her, can be affected" (Bouchez, 2007, p. 3). For some women, breast cancer can turn casual friendships into deep meaningful bonds, brings couples closer, help family units become stronger and cohesive. However, for other women dealing with breast cancer can be a lonely and isolating time, as individuals the women reply on seem to disappear. Bouchez (2007) identified an individuals' willingness to let others share the burden of breast cancer as one indicator of how relationships be affected This study examined breast cancer diagnosis, support systems, coping with breast cancer, attitudes toward breast cancer and the effects breast cancer has on interpersonal relationships. Participants in the study included 33 breast cancer survivors located in Barron County, Wisconsin. Fifty-one point five percent of women fell into the category of 56-65 years old. This group of breast cancer survivors reported that (69.7%) of them are married or committed to long term relationships. Sixty-three percent of women reported that their husband or partner provided excellent support. Over ninety-six percent of women stated that their overall support system was good to excellent. Over seventy-five percent (75.8%) of participants agreed to strongly agree that their current relationships is satisfying.

Patterns of Coping in Survivors of Breast Cancer and Their Partners

Patterns of Coping in Survivors of Breast Cancer and Their Partners

Author: Jean M. O'Mahoney

Publisher:

ISBN: NWU:35558003945371

Category:

Page: 304

View: 319

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This study explored how the coping strategies of breast cancer survivors and their partners influences their satisfaction with their relationship one to twenty-six months following completion of active treatment for breast cancer. The results indicated that coping factors play an important role in the adjustment of the couple and are predictive of relationship functioning above and beyond demographic and illness characteristics. There were differences observed, however, between the patients and partners in which coping strategies were related to relationship satisfaction. The patients' use of self controlling coping and the partners' use of distancing were associated with lowered relationship satisfaction for the couple, whereas the partners' use of positive reappraisal was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction. These findings were explored as they related to gender differences in coping as well as the differential roles the patient and partner play in relation to the illness experience. The results of this study suggested that the coping process that occurs within the relationship is complex and interdependent, and that coping may serve unique interpersonal functions. Future directions for research are suggested to better understand the concept of relational coping and the reciprocal process of coping with illness that occurs in couples over time.

Gender in Psycho-Oncology

Gender in Psycho-Oncology

Author: PhD Youngmee Kim

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISBN: 9780190462277

Category: Medical

Page: 224

View: 527

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As cancer treatment has evolved toward precision medicine, psychosocial research and practices for cancer patients and their family members have also raised awareness of the need for a personalized, patient-focused, family-oriented approach in the Psycho-Oncology field. Gender in Psycho-Oncology is the first book of its kind to provide comprehensive views on the role of gender in the adjustment of the individual and the patient-caregiver pair when dealing with cancer. The text explores the significant role of gender in diverse pairings of genders between the patient and the caregiver. It also highlights the importance of age, generation, and socio-cultural characteristics; the illness trajectory and lifespan trajectory of the individual and the patient-caregiver pair; and an ongoing sociocultural movement that is changing social role expectations based on gender. Offering both fundamental and practical information, Gender in Psycho-Oncology is an ideal book for healthcare practitioners from a spectrum of disciplines in the Psycho-Oncology field.