RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Counsellor familiarity and engagement with technology-mediated communication represents an important factor in the ability to implement support programs to cancer patients. This study describes the experiences of a cohort of expert psycho-oncology counsellors who learned to facilitate online support groups (OSGs) and identifies the important elements of their learning experience that led to their engagement. PROCEDURE AND METHOD: Six psycho-oncology counsellors were trained to facilitate OSGs and later facilitated OSGs in their own practice context. They subsequently reflected on and discussed their experiences with OSGs over time: in a panel discussion within 6 months of training, and in two focus groups. A participatory method was used to describe and interpret key elements of the learning process. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Three themes of the counsellors' learning experience emerged: immersion in experiential learning, perceptions of clinical value and benefit, and overcoming challenges with adapted skills. Counsellors described components of their experiential learning: co-facilitating online cancer support groups with an expert, debriefing online, and participating in an online peer supervision group, as critical to their becoming engaged. Despite initial challenges, the counsellors learned new skills, and adapted known clinical skills, to the text-only environment. CONCLUSION: With appropriate training and practice over time, counsellors familiar with delivering face-to-face support groups to cancer patients became skilled and engaged in leading OSG's for cancer patients. Learning to facilitate OSGs shifted practice by significantly expanding the scope of services they were able to provide their patients and has implications for expanding access to support services.
Asunto(s)
Internet , Neoplasias/psicología , Psicología/educación , Grupos de Autoayuda , Consejo/métodos , Humanos , Competencia Profesional , Psicología/métodos , Psicología/normas , Grupos de Autoayuda/organización & administraciónRESUMEN
GOALS OF WORK: There is long history of anecdote and surmise linking psychosocial factors to cancer incidence and survival. However, over the past three decades, an increasing number of rigorous studies have investigated the possibility of a mind-cancer survival connection. The objective of this paper is (1) to review the past 30 years of psycho-oncology research on the mind-cancer survival question, (2) to review the methodological debate and interpretations of the research findings, and (3) to consider future research directions. MAIN RESULTS: Over the past three decades, a small number of studies have been published. Some observational and quasi-experimental studies suggest the possibility that coping and psychological factors may influence disease outcomes, but clinical trials suggest that psychosocial interventions do not prolong survival. Methodological comment and interpretation about the significance of these trials vary. Some researchers view the mind-cancer survival question as resolved and negative, whereas others identify conceptual and methodological challenges and view the possible impact of psychosocial factors on survival as simply unproven. We take the position that the question is unanswered. CONCLUSION: Recommended future research directions include: (1) more trials based on testable theories, targeted interventions, and greater specificity in the measurement model and (2) new research questions and more rigorous observational, prospective, and longitudinal studies, case studies, mixed methods, and innovative design approaches being developed by complementary and alternative medicine researchers. Further research is warranted on the mind-cancer survival question.