Problem Solving Therapy for cancer patients

The experience of cancer can be devastating, both medically and psychologic ally. Research continues to show that cancer patients experience psychologi cal distress at higher rates than the general population. Problem-Solving T herapy (PST) is proposed as a potentially efficacious intervention to help improve the quality-of-life of adult cancer patients and to reduce their di stress. PST is a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach aimed at teaching co ping skills to help individuals deal more effectively with stressful situat ions, such as the myriad of medical, financial, psychosocial, sexual, and i nterpersonal problems associated with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer . A recently completed randomized clinical trial, Project Genesis, that tes ted the efficacy of PST, is briefly described. An approach geared to help f amily members of cancer patients, the HomeCare Guidebook, based on problem- solving principles, is also discussed.