Efficacy of couple-based intervention with cancer patients: A systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To know the efficacy or usefulness of couples therapy in cases where one of the partners has cancer. As well as knowing in which cases or at what times this type of therapy may be more useful. Method: A systematic search was caried out in the electronic databases: Scopus, Pubmed and PsycInfo, using keywords such as: Couple sex therapy, Cancer, Breast cancer, Prostate cancer, Couple psychological therapy, Intimacy, Clinical trial and Efficacy; and its multiple combinations. Articles in English from 2007 to 2019 have been included. Results: The 11 selected studies only dealt with breast and prostate cancer and most of them are carried out with a relatively small mean. Most treatments are applied from the cognitive-behavioral current and there are better results if the treatment is manualized. In prostate cancer cases, sexuality-related aspects are treated more normally than breast cancer. Further improvements in prostate cancer are observed since they have to do with sexual aspects as well as psychological aspects (although these improvements are lost in time). Conclusions: Initial efficacy is appreciated in terms of satisfaction of the relationship and sexual problems in the couple, but these results are not maintained over time. So in general we would talk about a real low efficiency.