Positive psychology and psychotherapy: How do they influence the treatment of cancer?

Term Paper , 2013 , 10 Pages , Grade: 8

Psychology - Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology, Prevention

That a positive attitude and psychological support can promote the therapy of cancer and even encourage the cure is a widely held view. In this paper the capabilities and limitations of positive psychology and psychotherapy will be discussed with the aid of two studies. The first one has laid the foundation for this research area and the second study replicated the latter using a more appropriate methodology. It will be shown that some assumptions made in recent decades are not more than parts of a myth, which is progressively dissolved by high quality studies.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Positive Psychology And Psychotherapy: How Do They Influence The Treatment Of Cancer?
• Advantages of psychological intervention and a positive attitude
• Spiegel and colleagues' study about psychological treatment of cancer patients
• The points of criticism regarding Spiegel and colleagues' study
• Common biases in this research area
• The media's influence on the knowledge of the general population regarding positive psychology and psychological intervention in cancer patients

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the potential benefits and limitations of positive psychology and psychotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The research focuses on two key studies, one that established the foundation of this research area and another that replicated it using a more robust methodology. The paper aims to demonstrate that some commonly held assumptions about the impact of positive psychology and psychotherapy on cancer outcomes are not supported by scientific evidence.

• Influence of positive psychology and psychotherapy on cancer treatment
• Critical evaluation of research on the link between positive attitude, psychological intervention, and cancer outcomes
• Examination of methodological biases in research on cancer and psychological interventions
• Role of the media in shaping public perception of positive psychology and psychotherapy in cancer

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The first section introduces the concept of positive psychology and psychotherapy in the context of cancer treatment, highlighting potential advantages such as improved quality of life, coping mechanisms, and strengthened fighting spirit. It also mentions the influence of positive psychology on the expectations of both patients and others.
• The second section delves into a seminal study by Spiegel and colleagues (1989) that explored the relationship between psychological treatment and survival time in breast cancer patients. The study, which compared a treatment group receiving group therapy to a control group, initially showed a significant difference in survival rates, suggesting a potential positive impact of psychological intervention.
• The third section critically examines the Spiegel and colleagues' study, highlighting its methodological flaws and potential biases that cast doubt on the validity of the original findings. These include the lack of a defined primary endpoint, inconsistencies in survival time measurement, small sample sizes, lack of controlled non-psychological treatment, potential randomization bias, and the absence of adjusted baseline characteristics.
• The fourth section expands the discussion to include common biases found in research on the relationship between positive psychology, psychological therapy, and cancer progression. This includes co-intervention bias, small sample sizes, methodological quality, inadequate randomization, recall bias, reporting bias, perceptual distortion, and file drawer bias.
• The final section examines the role of the media in perpetuating the myth that psychotherapy and a positive attitude can significantly impact cancer outcomes. The section highlights examples of misleading headlines and public statements that contribute to public misperceptions about the effectiveness of positive psychology and psychological interventions.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Positive psychology, psychotherapy, cancer treatment, survival time, methodological biases, recall bias, reporting bias, file drawer bias, media influence, public perception.

• College: University of Groningen
• Grade: 8
• Author: Natalie Cohen (Author)
• Publication Year: 2013
• Pages: 10
• Catalog Number: V232001
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656486954
• ISBN (Book): 9783656492436
• Language: English
• Tags: Krebs, Psychotherapie, Positive Psychology, Positiv denken, Cancer, Gruppentherapie, Spiegel