Telephone‐delivered individual cognitive behavioural therapy for cancer patients: An equivalence randomised trial
Open accessAbstract
Objective: To evaluate Telephone‐Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (T‐CBT) compared to CBT face to face treatment as usual (TAU‐CBT), in cancer patients with high psychological needs, in terms of mental health and coping. Method: A prospective randomised equivalence trial with Patient Reported Outcome (PRO's), measured pre‐ and post‐therapy including; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale: Helpless/Hopeless subscale only (MAC H/H), Checklist of Cancer Concerns (CLCC) and the Cancer Coping Questionnaire (CCQ). A study‐specific Service Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) was include. Results: Assessment of change scores, in n = 118 randomised patients referred for psychological care, indicate significant improvements (P < 0.01 or greater) for both therapy groups pre‐ and post‐therapy in HADS anxiety, depression and total scores and cancer concerns (CLCC). Overall, for the groups combined, there is a significant shift towards reduction of CCQ stress (P = 0.028) and worry (P = 0.003) post‐therapy when compared to baseline levels. Median number of therapy sessions was four. For cancer coping (CCQ) and for Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) there were significant change scores only for Positive Focus and Helpless/hopeless scores respectively, in the TAU‐CBT group. Although equivalence was not observed, the data demonstrate that T‐CBT was non‐inferior to TAU‐CBT. Conclusions: Delivery of CBT to patients with clinician identified high need can be offered according to patient choice without loss of mental health benefit. Both TAU‐CBT and T‐CBT are effective at reducing mental health problems on the specific outcome measures.
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CBT for cancer patients is equally beneficial when delivered by phone or in person.
“Cognitive-behavioral therapy with cancer patients was found to be equally beneficial when delivered by phone or in person (Watson et al., 2017).”
From Utilizing a Manualized Therapy to Provide Parallel Treatment to Older Adults With Cancer and Their Caregivers: A Case Study (2022) · cites this paper as Watson et al., 2017
The Discussion says both delivery methods reduced the measured mental-health outcomes, and the trial found telephone CBT non-inferior to face-to-face CBT. However, Results §3.3 says full equivalence was not established, and the study concerned cancer patients referred for psychological care with high psychological needs—not cancer patients generally. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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- Authors
- Watson, M., White, C., Lynch, A., & Mohammed, K.
- Affiliations
- Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Watson, M.
- Venue
- Psycho-Oncology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-01-30
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 301-308
- ISSN
- 1057-9249 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1611
- OpenAlex
- W2566356793
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 1.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psycho-Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Keywords
- cancer patients, psychological distress, anxiety, depression, coping with cancer, mental adjustment to cancer, non-inferiority, psychological care
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Prospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Telephone, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Telemedicine
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