Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has proven effective in cancer patients, reducing common psychological symptoms and improving wellbeing. Moreover, the use of eHealth technologies makes support cheaper and easier to provide. The aim of this systematic review was to collect results on the effe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2024-11-01
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| Series: | SAGE Open |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241297591 |
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| author | Francisco García-Torres Margarita García-Carmona Eliana Moreno Francisco Jurado-González Ángel Aguilera-Martín |
| author_facet | Francisco García-Torres Margarita García-Carmona Eliana Moreno Francisco Jurado-González Ángel Aguilera-Martín |
| author_sort | Francisco García-Torres |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has proven effective in cancer patients, reducing common psychological symptoms and improving wellbeing. Moreover, the use of eHealth technologies makes support cheaper and easier to provide. The aim of this systematic review was to collect results on the effectiveness of internet-delivered ACT for common symptoms in cancer patients and survivors. The review follows PRISMA guidance and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022326543). Searches were conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and different web platforms of grey literature. Interventional studies were selected which focused on cancer patients and survivors, were published in English or Spanish, included at least two of the six main ACT components, and were partially or fully delivered through the Internet. The risk of bias was assessed following Cochrane’s recommendations. Eleven records from seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Only one study showed significant reductions in anxiety (reliable change index, RCI ∈ [2.32, 3.47]) and depression ( RCI ∈ [2.00, 4.00]). As regards quality of life, significant improvements were observed in certain domains such as cancer-related quality of life ( RCI = 2.43), fatigue ( d = −0.33), sleep problems ( d = −0.53), physical and functional wellbeing (η 2 p = .06), and participation in social activities ( d = 0.18). ACT processes resulted in significant post-intervention improvements with regard to mindfulness ability and psychological flexibility. Results look promising; however, we believe that limitations such as blinding issues, the heterogeneity of designs and measurement tools, or the use of monetary incentives should be taken into account in future research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1ca671e063774c4cbb3054db1e927710 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2158-2440 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SAGE Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-1ca671e063774c4cbb3054db1e9277102024-11-28T07:03:19ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402024-11-011410.1177/21582440241297591Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic ReviewFrancisco García-Torres0Margarita García-Carmona1Eliana Moreno2Francisco Jurado-González3Ángel Aguilera-Martín4Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Cordoba, SpainUniversidad de Córdoba, Cordoba, SpainInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Cordoba, SpainInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Cordoba, SpainInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Cordoba, SpainAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has proven effective in cancer patients, reducing common psychological symptoms and improving wellbeing. Moreover, the use of eHealth technologies makes support cheaper and easier to provide. The aim of this systematic review was to collect results on the effectiveness of internet-delivered ACT for common symptoms in cancer patients and survivors. The review follows PRISMA guidance and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022326543). Searches were conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and different web platforms of grey literature. Interventional studies were selected which focused on cancer patients and survivors, were published in English or Spanish, included at least two of the six main ACT components, and were partially or fully delivered through the Internet. The risk of bias was assessed following Cochrane’s recommendations. Eleven records from seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Only one study showed significant reductions in anxiety (reliable change index, RCI ∈ [2.32, 3.47]) and depression ( RCI ∈ [2.00, 4.00]). As regards quality of life, significant improvements were observed in certain domains such as cancer-related quality of life ( RCI = 2.43), fatigue ( d = −0.33), sleep problems ( d = −0.53), physical and functional wellbeing (η 2 p = .06), and participation in social activities ( d = 0.18). ACT processes resulted in significant post-intervention improvements with regard to mindfulness ability and psychological flexibility. Results look promising; however, we believe that limitations such as blinding issues, the heterogeneity of designs and measurement tools, or the use of monetary incentives should be taken into account in future research.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241297591 |
| spellingShingle | Francisco García-Torres Margarita García-Carmona Eliana Moreno Francisco Jurado-González Ángel Aguilera-Martín Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review SAGE Open |
| title | Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Internet-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | internet delivered acceptance and commitment therapy for cancer patients and survivors a systematic review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241297591 |
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