Avicenna Journal of Neuropsychophysiology

en Effects of a Psychosocial Skills Training Package on Optimism in Patients with Breast and Colon Cancer: A Quasi-Experimental Study Physiology Physiology پژوهشي Research Article Background and Objective: Cancer diagnosis poses significant psychological challenges, often diminishing patients' optimism, a key predictor of treatment adherence and quality of life. While psychological interventions have shown promising results in improving optimism among cancer patients, most studies have focused on single-component approaches (e.g., cognitive restructuring or social support alone). Theoretical frameworks such as the biopsychosocial model suggest that integrating both psychological and social skills may yield more comprehensive benefits; however, this integrative approach remains underexplored in Iranian psycho-oncology settings. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of a researcher-developed psychosocial skills training package on optimism in patients with breast and colon cancer. Material and Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test/post-test design with control group and two-month follow-up. Thirty patients with breast and colon cancer and low optimism scores (<15) were recruited via purposive sampling based on eligibility criteria; then, randomly allocated to experimental or control groups (n=15 each) using block randomization. The experimental group received an eight-session, researcher-developed psychosocial skills training package (45 min/session), while controls received usual care. Optimism was measured using the Scheier & Carver’s Life Orientation Test. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS software (version 27). Results: The mixed repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant Group × Time interaction effect for optimism after Greenhouse-Geisser correction: F (1.644, 41.1) = 14.996, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.28. According to Cohen's conventions, this represents a large effect size, indicating that the psychosocial skills training package substantially improved optimism in the experimental group relative to controls. Conclusion: The psychosocial skills training package demonstrated a statistically significant and large effect on optimism in patients with breast and colon cancer. However, given the pilot nature of this quasi-experimental study with a small, single-site sample, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary evidence. Future large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm efficacy and establish clinical guidelines before broader implementation can be recommended.   Breast Neoplasms, Colonic Neoplasms, Optimism, Psychosocial Intervention 0 0 http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2454-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Somaye Fallah somaye.fallah@iau.ac.ir 10031947532846008951 10031947532846008951 No PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Ard.C, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran. Ozra Ghaffari Nouran o.ghaffari@iauardabil.ac.ir 10031947532846008952 10031947532846008952 Yes Associated professor،Department of Educational and Psychological services, Ard.C, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran. Ali Jafari a.jafari@iauardabil.ac.ir 10031947532846008953 10031947532846008953 No Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences, Ard.C, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran Yousef Namvar y.namvar@iau.ac.ir 10031947532846008954 10031947532846008954 No Associate Professor, Department of Educational Governance and Human Resource, Ard.C, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran. Seyyed Hamzeh Hosseini Shhosseini@mazums.ac.ir 10031947532846008955 10031947532846008955 No Professor of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran