The Effect of Cognitive- Behavioral Group Therapy on Depression in Patients with Cancer

One of the most common complications of cancer is subsequent psychological problems including depression, reduced vital function, and increased risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on decreasing depression among patients with cancer in Birjand city. This research was a semi-experimental study including pre-test, post-test and control group in which the statistical society consisted of patients with cancer who referred to Imam Reza hospital in Birjand. The samples included 24 patients with cancer who were selected based on DSM-IV distinctive standard and Beck depression inventory. The case group were treated by cognitive-behavioral therapy in 12 session of 1.5 hours, and the control group received no psychiatric therapy. The data were analyzed by T-Test and covariance analysis using version 15.00 of SPSS software. After treatment, depression in the case group decreased to 8.58±7.38 which was statistically significant (P<0.001); however depression in the control group (28.33±11.87) did not change. Cognitive-behavioral group therapy plays an important role in decreasing depression in patients with cancer. Psychological intervention can help patients to change their cognition by decreasing depression and enable them to have a more positive belief in controlling themselves against dependency.