Effects of Magnanimous Therapy on Coping, Adjustment, and Living Function in Advanced Lung Cancer

Abstract

Objectives: We examined the effects of magnanimous therapy on psychological coping, adjustment, living function, and survival rate in patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods: Patients with advanced lung cancer (n = 145) matched by demographics and medical variables were randomly assigned to an individual computer magnanimous therapy group (IC-MT), a group computer magnanimous therapy group (GC-MT), or a control group (CTRL). Over 2 weeks, the IC-MT and GC-MT groups received eight 40-minute sessions of IC-MT or GC-MT respectively, plus usual care; the CTRL group received only usual care. The Cancer Coping Modes Questionnaire (CCMQ), the Psychological Adjustment Scale for Cancer Patients (PASCP), and the Functional Living Index–Cancer (FLIC) were assessed at baseline and 2 weeks later. The relationships of changes in those indicators were analyzed, and survival rates were compared. Results: The psychological coping style, adjustment, and living function of the IC-MT and GC-MT groups improved significantly after the intervention (p < 0.01). After 2 weeks, significant (p < 0.01) differences between the treatment groups and the CTRL group in coping style, adjustment, and living function suggested successful therapy. The changes in living function were correlated with changes in psychological coping and adjustment. No difference in efficacy between IC-MT and GC-MT was observed. The survival rate was 31.84% in the IC-MT group and 9.375% in the CTRL group at 2 years after the intervention. Conclusions: In patients with advanced lung cancer, IC-MT and GC-MT were associated with positive short-term effects on psychological coping style, adjustment, and living function, although the magnitude of the effect did not differ significantly between the intervention approaches. The effects on living function are partly mediated by improvements in psychological coping and adjustment.