Effectiveness of an Emotional Competences intervention program for cancer patient in remission

Abstract

Background. Emotional Competences (EC) refer to the capacity to adequately handle one’s own emotions and those of others. Research has documented a positive impact of EC on patient outcomes (e.g. physical and mental health, work performance). However, few studies have examined the possibility of increasing the EC within a clinical population using a short group-session intervention. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether the intervention will heighten patients’ EC and quality of life. Method. Population: oesogastric and pulmonary cancer patients in remission (i.e. at 6 months after the end of treatments). Design: Randomized controlled trial. A 6-hour EC intervention over 3 weeks (3 sessions of 2 hours), targeting the EC will be administered to the experimental group while the control group will be practicing relaxation training. Both group will complete SF-36 and the Profile of Emotional Competences (PEC) questionnaires at 3 times: before the intervention (T0), 15 days later (T1) and 2.5 months after the intervention (T3). Expected results. We expect a larger increase of both the EC and the quality of life in the experimental group compared to the control group at the three assessment points. Current stage of work. The intervention has been manualized. Legal authorizations have been obtained (Regional Teaching Hospital of Lille and French National Ethics Committed). The research is about to start. Discussion. This intervention could be a new feasible approach to improve the quality of life of cancer patients at the end of treatments, which is a difficult time for them.