The effecacy of group cognitive behavioral therapy for improving pathological worry in mothers with children with cancer

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective approach for all types of mood and anxiety disorders. Considering the high level of worry and anxiety of mothers with children with cancer, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing the pathological worry of mothers with children with cancer.

The quasi-experimental study was conducted in,Sari, in 2015-2016. Using purposive sampling, 30 mothers with children with cancer were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 10 45-minute group therapy sessions using Hazlett Stevens' cognitive behavioral protocol. Before and after the intervention, both groups completed the Pennsylvania Worry Questionnaire. Independent and paired t and covariance tests were conducted using SPSS 25.

There was a significant difference between the mean (standard deviation) of the pathological worry score in the experimental group before the intervention 54.80 (5.99) and after the intervention 47.33 (6.72) (p=0.003). The mean age of the mothers was 41 ±9.2 years. In the experimental group, there was a significant difference between the pathological worry score with the duration of treatment of their children and age of the mothers (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the pathological worry score with mother’s education and number of children in the experimental group (p>0.05).

The intervention of cognitive behavioral therapy group is efficient and without side effects in reducing the pathological worry of mothers of children with cancer and can be used together with conventional drug treatments. It is suggested that this method be considered in the clinical setting.