Long‐term efficacy of meaning‐centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors: 2‐Year follow‐up results of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: Meaning‐centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors (MCGP‐CS) is an effective intervention to improve personal meaning, psychological well‐being, and depressive symptoms until 6 months after the intervention. In this study, the long‐term effects of MCGP‐CS (i.e., at 1‐ and 2‐year follow‐up) on meaning, psychological well‐being and posttraumatic growth were assessed, in comparison to supportive group psychotherapy (SGP) and care as usual (CAU). METHODS: Cancer survivors (n = 170) were randomized into MCGP‐CS, SGP, or CAU. Assessments were scheduled at baseline, 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postintervention. Outcome measures were the Personal Meaning Profile, Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well‐Being (SPWB), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and their subscales. Linear mixed models (LMM) were used and results were both reported on an intention‐to‐treat (ITT) basis, as well as for intervention completers only. RESULTS: LMM and post hoc analyses with Bonferroni correction revealed that MCGP‐CS participants reported more improvement on positive relations (subscale of SPWB) than CAU participants of 2‐year postintervention (ITT analysis, Cohen's d = .82). Completers also reported more personal growth (subscale of SPWB) after MCGP‐CS than after SGP 1‐year postintervention (Cohen's d = .94). No long‐term effects were found on the other outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: In the 2 years after MCGP‐CS, the short‐term significant effects on personal meaning and most positive effects related to psychological well‐being faded. However, MCGP‐CS had a long‐term positive effect on positive relations with others and on survivors' sense of personal growth. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register: NTR3571