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The Effect of Uncertainty-Tolerance-based Intervention in Couples on the Mental Adaptation to Disease in Women With Breast Cancer: a Randomized Clinical Trial


 Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a couple-coping intervention aiming to improve uncertainty tolerance in women diagnosed with breast cancer and their spouses on the patients’ mental adaption to their disease. Methods: The present study was conducted on 90 women with breast cancer referred to educational, medical and research centers in Urmia, IRAN, which 45 patients were randomly assigned to each treatment and control groups. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and 6 weeks using short form mental adjustment to cancer (Mini-MAC) questionnaire. The intervention was performed in 6 group-based sessions consisting of patients and their spouses. Results: comparing the change from before to after intervention revealed that the effect of the intervention was significant in reducing hopeless-helpless (-5.42 ± 2.42 in intervention group VS -0.13 ± 0.46 in control group, P<0.001) and anxious preoccupation (-6.80 ± 2.87 VS -0.16 ± 0.82, P<0.001). It has also been significant in increasing fatalism (4.89 ± 2.09 VS 0.22 ± 1.24) and fighting spirit (3.58 ± 2.05 VS 0.11 ± 1.61). The effect of intervention on changing avoidance scale was not significant (P = 0.83).Conclusion: Couple-centered intervention program based on increasing uncertainty tolerance can be used to improve the situation in order to increase the patients' adjustment and it has an effective support for breast cancer patients in helping to cope with cancer. Trial registration number: IRCT20150125020778N21.Date of registration: 2020-12-13.