Browsing by Subject "Psychological flexibility"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Symptom experiences in metastatic breast cancer patients: relationships to activity engagement, value-based living, and psychological inflexibility
    (Wiley, 2017-11) Mosher, Catherine E.; Tometich, Danielle B.; Hirsh, Adam; Rand, Kevin L.; Johns, Shelley A.; Matthias, Marianne S.; Outcalt, Samantha D.; Bricker, Jonathan; Schneider, Bryan; Mina, Lida; Storniolo, Anna Maria; Newton, Erin; Miller, Kathy; Psychology, School of Science
    OBJECTIVE: This study examined symptom-based subgroups of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients and the extent to which they differed across key constructs of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). METHODS: Eighty women with MBC completed self-report surveys assessing 10 common symptoms and several ACT variables (ie, activity engagement, psychological inflexibility, value obstruction, and value progress) during a single time point. RESULTS: A cluster analysis yielded 3 patient subgroups: low symptoms, low-moderate symptoms, and moderate-high symptoms. Relative to the subgroup with low symptoms, the other subgroups reported less activity engagement. In addition, compared with patients with low symptoms, the subgroup with moderate-high symptoms reported greater psychological inflexibility (ie, avoidance of unwanted internal experiences) and greater difficulty living consistently with their values. CONCLUSIONS: Women with MBC show heterogeneity in their symptom profiles, and those with higher symptom burden are more likely to disengage from valued activities and avoid unwanted experiences (eg, thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations). Findings are largely consistent with the ACT model and provide strong justification for testing ACT to address symptom interference in MBC patients.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Symptom experiences in post-treatment cancer survivors: associations with acceptance and commitment therapy constructs
    (Springer, 2021) Lewson, Ashley B.; Johns, Shelley A.; Krueger, Ellen; Chinh, Kelly; Kidwell, Kelley M.; Mosher, Catherine E.; Psychology, School of Science
    Purpose: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has improved symptom and quality-of-life outcomes in pilot research with post-treatment cancer survivors. To further test the ACT model, the present study examined relationships between ACT constructs and subgroups of post-treatment survivors based on the severity of common symptoms. Methods: Survivors who had completed primary treatment for stage I or II cancer (N = 203) participated in this one-time survey. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups of survivors based on the severity of fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Multinomial logistic regressions employing Vermunt's 3-step approach were used to examine ACT constructs (e.g., mindfulness, acceptance, values progress) as correlates of survivor subgroups based on symptoms. Results: The LCA showed three survivor classes: (1) mild-to-moderate levels of all symptoms except for normal pain intensity; (2) mild anxiety, moderate fatigue, and normal levels of all other symptoms; and (3) normal levels of all symptoms. Lower mindfulness, acceptance, and values progress and higher cognitive fusion, psychological inflexibility, and values obstruction were associated with a greater likelihood of being in class 1 or 2 than in class 3. Conclusion: Findings are consistent with the ACT model. Survivors with greater symptom burden reported greater withdrawal from personally meaningful activities and less acceptance of their cancer diagnosis and internal experiences (e.g., thoughts, feelings, symptoms). Findings provide strong justification for further testing of ACT to reduce symptom-related suffering in cancer survivors.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Symptom experiences in post-treatment cancer survivors: Associations with acceptance and commitment therapy constructs
    (SpringerLink, 2020-11-02) Lewson, Ashley B.; Johns, Shelley A.; Krueger, Ellen; Chinh, Kelly; Kidwell, Kelley M.; Mosher, Catherine E.; Psychology, School of Science
    Purpose: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has improved symptom and quality-of-life outcomes in pilot research with post-treatment cancer survivors. To further test the ACT model, the present study examined relationships between ACT constructs and subgroups of post-treatment survivors based on the severity of common symptoms. Methods: Survivors who had completed primary treatment for stage I or II cancer (N=203) participated in this one-time survey. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups of survivors based on the severity of fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Multinomial logistic regressions employing Vermunt’s 3-step approach were used to examine ACT constructs (e.g., mindfulness, acceptance, values progress) as correlates of survivor subgroups based on symptoms. Results: LCA showed three survivor classes: (1) mild to moderate levels of all symptoms except for normal pain intensity, (2) mild anxiety, moderate fatigue, and normal levels of all other symptoms, and (3) normal levels of all symptoms. Lower mindfulness, acceptance, and values progress and higher cognitive fusion, psychological inflexibility, and values obstruction were associated with a greater likelihood of being in class 1 or 2 than class 3. Conclusion: Findings are consistent with the ACT model. Survivors with greater symptom burden reported greater withdrawal from personally meaningful activities and less acceptance of their cancer diagnosis and internal experiences (e.g., thoughts, feelings, symptoms). Findings provide strong justification for further testing of ACT to reduce symptom-related suffering in cancer survivors.