Effect of Group Logotherapy on Anxiety About Death and Existential Loneliness in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although logotherapy has been shown to relieve other psychological symptoms of patients with cancer, no studies have specifically investigated the effect of logotherapy on anxiety about death and existential loneliness in these patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of group logotherapy on anxiety about death and existential loneliness in patients with advanced cancer.

METHODS: Sixty-three patients who were in the advanced stage of cancer were recruited from 2 hospital oncology services and were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 31) or control group (n = 32). The intervention group received 10 weekly 2-hour group logotherapy. Templer's Death Anxiety Scale and ELQ were completed pre- and posttreatment.

RESULTS: A 2 × 2 mixed analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of the treatment on each of the dependent variables. The analyses revealed that patients in the logotherapy group reported a significant decrease in anxiety about death and existential loneliness after (vs before) the treatment. No significant decreases were observed in the waitlist control group.

CONCLUSIONS: These results have implications for treating death anxiety and feelings of existential loneliness among patients with advanced cancer. They suggest that group logotherapy is highly effective in reducing these existential concerns. Limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The study emphasizes that group logotherapy can be considered in oncology care programs by healthcare professionals and in educational curriculums and is suggested for use among caregivers and patients with advanced cancer.