Effectiveness of Spiritual Group Therapy on Quality of Life and Spiritual Well-Being among Patients with Breast Cancer

Zamaniyan, Sakineh; Bolhari, Jafar; Naziri, Ghasem; Akrami, Majid; Hosseini, Sara

Effectiveness of Spiritual Group Therapy on Quality of Life and Spiritual Well-Being among Patients with Breast Cancer

Document Type : Brief Report(s)

Authors

Sakineh Zamaniyan ¹

Jafar Bolhari ²

Ghasem Naziri ³

Majid Akrami ⁴

Sara Hosseini ⁴

¹ Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran

² School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Fars Sciences and Research Branch, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

⁴ Breast Diseases Research Center, Department of Surgical Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Cancer is deemed the century’s major health problem, and its increasing growth during the last decades has made experts concerned more than ever. Of all types of cancer, breast cancer is regarded as the second most common disease among women. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of spiritual group therapy on quality of life and spiritual well-being among patients suffering from breast cancer. The present research was carried out between March and June 2011. The sample consisted of 24 participants randomly assigned to 2 groups: an experimental group (n, 12) and a control group (n, 12). All the subjects completed questionnaires on quality of life and spiritual well-being in pretest and posttest. The experimental group received 12 sessions of spiritual group therapy. The results demonstrated improvement in quality of life and spiritual well-being in the experimental group. In conclusion, spiritual group therapy can be used to improve quality of life and spiritual well-being (religious health and existential health) among patients with breast cancer.

Keywords

Breast neoplasms

Spiritual therapies

Quality of life

Psychotherapy

Group

Existentialism

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