Holistic interventions to trauma management for teachers following disaster: Expressive arts and Integrated Body-mind-spirit approaches

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A good time to dance? Differential effects of dance movement therapy for breast cancer patients during and after radiotherapy

Oral abstracts - Session H: Oncological rehabilitationThis free journal suppl. entitled: Special Issue: Abstracts of the IPOS 16th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology and Psychosocial Academy, 20 – 24 October 2014, Lisbon, PortugalConference Theme: Integrating Psycho-Oncology into Mainstream Cancer Care; From Research to ActionBACKGROUND: This study explored the beneficial elements of Dance-movement therapy (DMT) and how the intervention satisfied patient needs as they underwent radiotherapy. DMT was well-received by Chinese patients and this was among the first studies to explore how the intervention could be suitable for patients still under treatment. To better understand intervention or exercise preferences and needs unique to patients receiving radiotherapy, the study also drew comparisons with patients who received DMT after they completed radiotherapy. METHOD: 159 Chinese women with breast cancer were recruited from the radiotherapy department and patient service centers across Hong Kong. Participants undergoing radiotherapy were randomized into the Radiotherapy or Post-radiotherapy control groups. The treatment group received DMT (6 sessions across 3 weeks, 90 minutes each) as they were undergoing radiotherapy, while the control group was provided with the same DMT intervention 1–2 months after completing radiotherapy. All participants responded in writing whether or not they found DMT helpful and how. Codes were identified inductively from the responses and quantified. Proportions of responses were compared between the two groups with Chi-square. RESULTS: Five main categories of benefit were identified in both groups: (1) Coping with cancer, treatment and physical symptoms, (2) Mental well-being, Attention and appreciation for self and body, (3) Total functioning, (4) Bridging back to normal and better life (e.g., More exercise motivation, commitment to being happy, balancing life rhythm), and (5) Shared positive experiences. Two of the categories, namely (1) Coping with cancer, treatment and physical symptoms, and (2) Mental well-being, attention and appreciation for self and body, were more prominently reported by the Radiotherapy group compared with the Post-radiotherapy group (Coping: p = 0.0071, Mental: p = 0.034). There were no significant differences in the other categories. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study reinstated the benefits of DMT as they were felt and experienced by participants with breast cancer. Meanwhile, findings added a new perspective that the time when interventions are administered throughout cancer survivorship can bring about different or even additional benefits to patients. This rendered support to arguments that the timing of intervention delivery is important. Mental health improvements were by far the most mentioned by the Radiotherapy cohort, which corroborated with findings from an earlier study on the effectiveness of DMT on stress reduction. RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS: Findings replicated a study on the effectiveness of DMT for a mixed cancer type cohort. Themes were enriched in this study. Newer sub-themes associated with physical body and self-appreciation indicates the psychological insults that treatment had on patients. Another new sub-theme of integrating exercise to their lifestyles testified to the desire of patients near the completion of treatment to reconnect back to usual lifestyles. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The pleasurable experience of DMT, as well as the psychological and physical relief appeared to have helped patients significantly in coping with their daily radiation treatment. This may have great vastly applied in clinical settings. For both the Radiotherapy and Post-radiotherapy groups, better symptoms management and psychological wellbeing can help speed up recovery and support patients in resuming their normal lives after their treatments.link_to_OA_fulltex

Tai-chi for residential patients with schizophrenia on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Objective. Patients with schizophrenia residing at institutions often suffer from negative symptoms, motor, and functional impairments more severe than their noninstitutionalized counterparts. Tai-chi emphasizes body relaxation, alertness, and movement coordination with benefits to balance, focus, and stress relief. This pilot study explored the efficacy of Tai-chi on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functioning disabilities towards schizophrenia. Methods. A randomized waitlist control design was adopted, where participants were randomized to receive either the 6-week Tai-chi program and standard residential care or only the latter. 30 Chinese patients with schizophrenia were recruited from a rehabilitation residency. All were assessed on movement coordination, negative symptoms, and functional disabilities at baseline, following intervention and 6 weeks after intervention. Results. Tai-chi buffered from deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning, the latter with sustained effectiveness 6 weeks after the class was ended. Controls showed marked deteriorations in those areas. The Tai-chi group also experienced fewer disruptions to life activities at the 6-week maintenance. There was no significant improvement in negative symptoms after Tai-chi. Conclusions. This study demonstrated encouraging benefits of Tai-chi in preventing deteriorations in movement coordination and interpersonal functioning for residential patients with schizophrenia. The ease of implementation facilitates promotion at institutional psychiatric services.published_or_final_versio

Randomized controlled trial of supportive-expressive group therapy and body-mind-spirit intervention for Chinese non-metastatic breast cancer patients

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of supportive-expressive group (SEG) therapy and body-mind-spirit (BMS) intervention on emotional suppression and psychological distress in Chinese breast cancer patients.published_or_final_versio

Candidate Tumor Suppressor Gene, CRIP2, Induces Apoptosis In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Poster Presentations: Theme VI - Cancer: no. 6.2

Exploring the Role of Spirituality in Chinese Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract 6.

The psychosocial rehabilitation of patients with early psychosis: Insights on spirituality and coping in recovery

PosterOBJECTIVES: This study aims to draw a closer linkage between spirituality and mental health. The purpose is to conceptualise ways through which spirituality and religion play a role in coping throughout the illness and recovery processes. DESIGN: The study adopts qualitative inquiry using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This enables in-depth patient and professional accounts of the meanings and roles of spirituality. METHODS: Purposive sampling of five patients and five psychiatrists or therapists was conducted at psychiatric clinics in Hong Kong. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed based on emerging codes according to interpretive phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Spirituality exerts a significant role throughout rehabilitation: (a) Attributing and reacting to symptoms: Patients’ own thought systems, including personal, religious/supernatural and cultural beliefs influence intensities of distress. Secondary symptom manifestations like isolation and mistrust can further impair their sense of connectedness. (b) Help seeking behaviours: Strong religious/supernatural attribution of symptoms often delays seeking appropriate treatment. (c) Coping with residual symptoms: Religion offers relief and ways to cope with symptoms. Patients also cope by creating meaning for persistent residual symptoms such that it does not disrupt their sense of selves. (d) Sense making of illness, and recovery: This occurs as processes of internalisation, externalisation or religious-orientations. Patients attempt to reconcile with their personal identity, remove disabilities, strive for a sense of peace and rely on religion. Conclusion: Findings help establish theoretical understanding and clinical significance of spirituality in early psychosis. This supports further research to operationalise spirituality and designing measures for empirical studies. This study was supported by the Research Grants Council (GRF/HKU 745511H

Regaining control of emotional expression: dance movement therapy for childhood sexual abuse survivors

Research Poster Sessionlink_to_subscribed_fulltex

Body-Mind-Spirit Intervention for Chinese Female Cancer Patients: Intervention and Maintenance Advantage over Patients’ Self-Help Group

Lo, P. H.Y. was awarded the Young Investigator Award 200

Spirituality in schizophrenia: how spirituality relates to mental health through a sense of peacefulness

Oral Presentation 2.3 – Severe Mental Illness (II): no. OP2.3.4Congress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PolaritieOBJECTIVES: Investigations on the influences of spirituality on mental health — whether beneficial or detrimental — were usually framed by researchers’ own definitions of spirituality and the concepts of religion, thus leading to inconsistent results. The present study aimed to explore how people with schizophrenia relate spirituality to their illness, based on their understanding of spirituality. METHODS: A total of 19 outpatients with schizophrenia (aged 18-48 years) were recruited from a hospital in Hong Kong through psychiatrist referral. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants were first invited to talk about the way they made sense of spirituality, then their opinions on the relationship between spirituality and their illness. Data were collected and analysed based on grounded theory. Trustworthiness was assured through member checking and inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: A sense of peacefulness emerged as one of the major components of spirituality. When compared to other components, most patients believed that it provided a direct interference on the impacts caused by the psychotic symptoms. During the acute phase, patients’ emotions and cognition were highly irritated and disturbed by the symptoms. They could no longer stay calm and clear-minded so that their judgement and capacity of handling difficulties were severely affected. Yet, the sense of peacefulness brought stability and comfort to them, and stabilised their chaotic mood and mind. As a result, they could remain tranquil in the adverse situations and think properly. Patients also pointed out that such peacefulness could be, but was not necessarily, induced by religion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided another perspective on understanding the relationship between spirituality and mental health besides fitting the concepts of religion / the supernatural into the box. It also furnished new directions for mental health research and clinical practices.link_to_OA_fulltex