Stress Coping Skills Training and Distress in Women with Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of training coping skills related to stress in distress of women with breast cancer. For this purpose 20 patients suffering from breast cancer was selected from among the cancer sufferers hospitalized in Shohaday-e Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, who were then assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent twelve 90-minute sessions of stress coping skills training. Analysis of covariance showed stress coping skills training was effective in reducing the distress of women with breast cancer. In the one month follow up, the result showed that this reduced level of distress remains sustained until follow-up.