THE EFFECT OF ABSORPTION AND SOCIAL CLOSENESS ON RESPONSES TO EDUCATIONAL AND RELAXATION THERAPIES IN PATIENTS WITH ANTICIPATORY NAUSEA AND VOMITING DURING CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY.
Contributors: University of Minnesota.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 165
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.; Psychology, Clinical.
Description: There were three purposes guiding this study. The first purpose was to determine whether objective nonevaluative information would influence the outcomes of coping in patients experiencing anticipatory nausea and vomiting during cancer chemotherapy when compared with therapeutic touch, progressive relaxation and no treatment. The second purpose was to explore possible explanations for the effects, specifically absorption, which is a disposition to maintain an attentional focus, and social closeness, which is a disposition to seek affiliation. The third purpose was to search for interaction effects, such as between mood and treatment, in bringing about changes in symptomatology.

The sample included 80 individuals who were experiencing anticipatory nausea and vomiting during the course of cancer chemotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Nonevaluative information, therapeutic touch and progressive relaxation, or were assigned to a no treatment control group. Prior to the intervention, self report data were collected on absorption, social closeness, positive and negative affect, disruption in usual activities, and symptom distress and symptom severity both before and after chemotherapy. Intervention was carried out for three chemotherapy cycles. Following each treatment, self report data were collected on positive and negative affect, disruption in usual activity, and symptom distress and symptom severity both before and after chemotherapy. Analysis was carried out using MANOVA.

Differences in standardized residual change scores indicated that nonevaluative information and therapeutic touch improved positive affect and decreased symptom severity after chemotherapy. Therapeutic touch and progressive relaxation reduced symptom distress and symptom severity both before and after chemotherapy. Social closeness interacted with treatment to affect symptom distress before and after chemotherapy, and symptom severity after chemotherapy. There was no effect due to the interaction of treatment and absorption, negative affect or positive affect.

Data supported an explanation that therapeutic touch affects symptomatology through creating a relaxation effect, and did not support a 'placebo effect' explanation. It was hypothesized that the lack of effect of the information intervention might be due to an increase in objective self awareness. Further research is recommended to investigate this hypothesis.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: B, page: 6137.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, 1993.

School code: 0130.