Majallah-i dānishgāh-i ̒ulūm-i pizishkī-i Arāk (Mar 2021)
The Effects of Holographic Reprocessing Therapy on Cognitive Flexibility and Posttraumatic Growth in Women With Breast Cancer
Abstract
Background and Aim: Breast cancer is among the most prevalent cancers in women with extensive associated biopsychological problems. The present study aimed to determine the effects of holographic reprocessing therapy on cognitive flexibility and posttraumatic growth in women with breast cancer. Methods & Materials: This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest and a control group design. The statistical population included all patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and who were being treated in the chemotherapy ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil City, Iran, in 2020. By convenience sampling method, 30 women with breast cancer were selected and randomly divided into the experimental and control groups (n=15/group). The experimental group, while receiving pharmacotherapy, collectively underwent holographic reprocessing therapy in 9 one-hour sessions (two sessions per week) for 5 weeks; however, the control group received only pharmacotherapy. Both research groups were assessed in pretest and posttest phases by the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (Dennis & Vander Wal, 2010) and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). Finally, the obtained data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) in SPSS v. 23. Ethical Considerations: All study subjects provided a signed written informed consent form. The Research Ethics Committee of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences approved this study (Code: IR.ARUMS.REC.1399.393). Results: The current study results indicated that holographic reprocessing therapy was effective on cognitive flexibility (F= 42.319, P<0.01) and posttraumatic growth (F= 18.300, P<0.01) in women with breast cancer; this method also increased their cognitive flexibility and posttraumatic growth. Conclusion: Considering psychological factors and information processing methods in patients with cancer is highly important. Thus, counselors and psychotherapists are advised to use holographic reprocessing therapy as a complementary treatment without adverse effects along with medical treatments to reduce the psychosocial problems caused by the disease.
