Date Approved

8-18-2022

Embargo Period

8-22-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science & Mathematics

Advisor

Jim A. Haugh, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Danielle R. Arigo, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Jeffrey M. Greeson, Ph.D.

Committee Member 3

Cori E. McMahon, Psy.D.

Keywords

bibliotherapy, breast cancer, feasibility study, psycho-oncology

Subject(s)

Breast cancer patients; Psychotherapy; Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis and the second leading cause of cancer-related death for women in the United States. Clinical depression and anxiety occur frequently within this population. Subclinical symptoms are also common and include increased sense of vulnerability, agitation, and grief as well as fears related to pain, creating a burden for one's family, and death. Due to the variety of negative implications women experience from psychosocial distress, improving quality of life and reducing symptomatology becomes imperative. A plethora of research supports the use of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR). Considering the challenges present within traditional psycho-oncological care (e.g., interdisciplinary integration, financial funding, burden of time intensive oncological and psychological treatment, appropriate staffing, etc.), the current study examines the feasibility of implementing an empirically supported psychotherapeutic approach (i.e., MBCR) through an alternative modality of treatment (i.e., guided bibliotherapy). Participants included women with breast cancer who were recruited from an ambulatory oncology clinic. Results shed light on a variety of factors involved in determining feasibility. Implications of acceptability, recruitment capability, demand and data collection, design procedures and implementation, integration, and effectiveness are discussed.

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