Does psychosocial interventions enhance posttraumatic growth and spirituality in cancer patients and survivors? A narrative review of the literature

ABSTRACT

@#This narrative review present and critically appraise the evidence of psychosocial interventions in enhancing posttraumatic growth (PTG) and spirituality in cancer patients and survivors. A comprehensive search of published English language literatures which include both quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted via Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science up to September 2018. Out of an initial 17,000 articles, 10 studies were finally included in the review. There were three randomized controlled trials, two non-randomized comparison trials, three time series/pre and post-intervention designs, one mixed design study and one qualitative study which demonstrated psychosocial interventions enhanced PTG and spirituality in cancer patients and survivors. We concluded mindfulness-based interventions may be promising to enhance PTG and spirituality in cancer patients and survivors. On the contrary, evidence for psycho-spiritual therapy, cancer support group, health behavioural change intervention and individual psychotherapy were lacking and poor.