CN30 - Scoping review of the interventions for promoting dyadic adjustment in adult cancer patients and their partners

Background

Dyadic adjustment, crucial for relationship satisfaction, encompasses positive feelings, effective communication, and shared problem-solving. It's key for health professionals to assessing how couples feel about their relationship and coping with cancer. Cancer has a profound effect on both patients and partners, influencing relationship dynamics and creating challenges that lead to relationship strain. This scoping review aims to identify interventions for promoting dyadic adjustment among adult cancer patients and their partners.

Methods

The PRISMA-ScR checklist and scoping review recommendations were followed. A database search was performed with the specified keywords based on the PICO question “What are the context and outcomes of the interventions for promoting dyadic adjustment in adult cancer patients?”. Related databases searched for studies published in English, including PubMed, Ebsco, ScienceDirect, PsycNet, JBI and Cohrane Library. Randomized controlled and interventional studies on dyadic adjustment published from 2009 to 2024 conducted with cancer patients were included. Authors independently performed the literature search and study selection process on the COVIDENCE system. Studies were assessed for design, sample, method, administrators, outcome measures, intervention content and duration, and main results.

Results

A total of 174 studies were imported for screening and 14 studies were included. Nine articles described randomized controlled trials, two feasibility trial, and five articles were quasi-experimental. Eight studies were from the USA, two from China, and one from Canada, Iceland, Türkiye, and the UK. Interventions were delivered by nurses (n=4), psychologists (n=2), and multidisciplinary (n=8). Six studies used face-to-face and/or telephone counselling, 4 studies used emotional arousal expression and 4 studies used online intervention.

Conclusions

Following interventions, participants experienced improved quality of life, heightened marital adjustment, and strengthened communication skills across studies except in one study. Incorporating interventions to foster dyadic adjustment among cancer patients into routine nursing care is strongly recommended.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.