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Effects of a cognitive–behavioral intervention for women with rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Sinclair Vaughn G.,
Wallston Kenneth A.,
Dwyer Kathleen A.,
Blackburn Donna S.,
Fuchs Howard
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-240x(199808)21:4<315::aid-nur4>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - coping (psychology) , rheumatoid arthritis , medicine , clinical psychology , cognition , physical therapy , psychiatry
The purpose of this quasi‐experimental study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive–behavioral nursing intervention for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ninety adult women with RA participated in 1 of 14 nurse‐led groups over an 18‐month period. Personal coping resources, pain‐coping behaviors, psychological well‐being, and disease symptomatology were measured at four time periods. There were significant changes on all of the measures of personal coping resources ( p < 0.001) and psychological well‐being ( p < 0.05), half of the pain‐coping behaviors ( p < 0.05), and one indicator of disease symptomatology (fatigue, p < 0.05) from pre‐ to postintervention. Furthermore, the positive changes brought about by the program were maintained over the 3‐month follow‐up period. The intervention may be adapted to benefit individuals with a variety of stressful medical conditions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs Health 21: 315–326, 1998