Abstract
The files of 192 referrals seen by three chartered psychologists as part of a new counselling service in an oncology setting were reviewed for an understanding of the population being served. Of particular interest was a description of client characteristics, referral patterns and treatment approaches. In addition, an investigation of possible relationships among these variables was considered to be important. To this end, data analysis relied upon the cross tabulation procedures of SSPS-X. Percentages obtained in this manner are reported for relationships which resulted in significant chi-square values (p<.05).
Insufficient reporting of coping strategies was noted as well as minimal documentation of intervention modalities. Without a rigidly standardized documentation system, conclusions are of necessity limited to suggestions for clinical service and for future research.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, B. & Hacker, N. (1983). Treatment of gynecological cancer: A review of the effects on female sexuality. Health Psychology 2: 203–221.
Borus, J., Olendzki, M., Kessler, L., Burns, B., Brabdt, U., Broverman, C. & Henderson, P. (1985), The ‘offset effect’ of mental health treatment on ambulatory medical care utilization and charges. Archives of General Psychiatry 42: 573–580.
Burish, T. & Carey, M. (1984), Conditioned responses to cancer chemotherapy: Etiology and treatment. In: B.H.Fox & B.H.Newberry (eds), Impact of psychoendocrine systems in cancer and immunity, pp. 147–178. Toronto, Ontarie, Canada: Hogrefe.
Craig, T. & Abeloff, M. (1974). Psyshiatric symptomatology among hospitalized cancer patients. American Journal of Psychiatry 141: 1323–1327.
Cummings, N. & VanderBos, G. (1981). The 20 year Kaiser-Permanente experience with psychotherapy and medical utilization: Implications for national health policy and national issurance. Health Policy Quarterly 1: 159–175.
Derogatis, L. (1986), Psychology in Cancer Medisine: A perspective and everview. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 54(3): 632–638.
Derogatis, L., Abeloff, M. & Melisaratos, N. (1979). Psychological coping mechanisms and survival time in metastatie breast cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association 242: 1504–1508.
Derogatis, L., Morrow, G., Fetting, J., Benman, D., Riasetsky, S., Schmale, A., Henrichs, M. & Carniske, C. (1983). The prevalence of psychiatrie disorders among cancer patients. Journal of American Medical Association 249: 751–757.
Dunkel-Schetter, C. & Wortman, C. (1982). The interpersonal dynamics of cancer: Problems in social relationships and their impact on the patient. In: H.Friedman & M.Mates (eds.), Interpersonal issues in health care. New York: Academic Press.
Edwards, J., DiClemente, C. & Samuels, M. (1985). Psychological characteristies: A pretreatment survival marker of patients with testicular cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 3: 79–94.
Farber, J., Weinerman, B. & Kuvers, J. (1984). Psychological distress in oncology outpatients. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 2(3/4): 109–118.
Fobair, P., Hoppe, R., Cox, R., Varghese, A. & Spiegel, D. (1986). Psychosocial problems among survivors of Hodgkin's disease. Journal of Clinical Oncology 4: 805–814.
Frank-Stromborg, M., Wright, P., Segalla, M. & Diekmann, T. (1984). Psychological impact of the cancer diagnosis. Journal of Oncology Nursing Forum 11(3): 16–22.
Glass, R. (1983). Psychiatric disorders among cancer patients. Journal of the American Medical Association 249: 782–783.
Gordon, W., Friedenbergs, I., Diller, L., Hibberd, M., Wolf, C., Levine, L., Lipkins, R., Esraehl, O. & Lucido, D. (1980). Effieacy of psychosocial intervention with cancer patients. Journal of Counselling and Clinical Psychology 48: 743–759.
Greer, S., Morris, T. & Pettinglae, K. (1979). Psychological respense to breast cancer: Effect on outcome. Lancet ii: 785–787.
Holland, J. & Rowland, J. (1981). Psychiatric, psychosocial and behavioral interventions in the treatment of cancer: An historical review. In: S.Weiss, J.Herd & B.Fox (eds.), Perspectives on behavioral medicine, pp. 235–260. New York: Academic Press.
Jay, S., Elliot, C. & Varni, J. (1986). Acute and chronic pain in adults and children with cancer. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 54: 601–607.
Linn, M., Linn, B. & Harris, R. (1982). Effects of counselling for late stage cancer patients. Cancer 49: 1048–1055.
Maguire, G., Tait, A., Brooke, M., Thomas, C. & Sellwood, R. (1980). The effects of monitoring on the psychiatric morbidity associated with mastectomy. British Medical Journal ii: 1454.
Mumford, E., Schlesinger, H., Glass, G., Patrick, C. & Cuerdon, T. (1984). A new look at evidence about reduced cost of medical utilization following mental health treatment. American Journal of Psychlatry 141: 1145–1158.
Rogentine, G., Fox, B., CanJammen, D., Rosenblatt, J., Docherty, J. & Bunney, W. (1979). Psychological and biological factors in the short-term prognosis of malignant melanoma. Psychosomatic Medicine 41: 647–755.
Peteet, J. (1979). Depressien in cancer patients. Journal of the American Medical Association 241: 1487–1489.
Silverfarb, P. (1982). Research in adaptation to illness and psychosocial intervention: An overview, Proceedings of the Working Conference on the Psychological, Social and Behavioral Medicine Aspects of Cancer: Research and Professional Education Needs and Directions for the 1980's. Cancer 50 (Suppl. 9): 1921–1925.
Silverberg, E. (1985). Probabllities of eventually developing or dying of cancer, Cancer Statisties. 35: 35–56.
Taylor, S., Falke, R., Shoptau, S. & Lichtman, R. (1986). Social support, support groups, and the cancer patient. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 54: 608–615.
Wrighton, R.J. (1985). Planning services for the cancer patient. In: Moler, T.R., Cancer Care Programmes, The Swedish Experience. IARC Scientific Publications 66: 75
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jevne, R.F. Looking back to look ahead. A retrospective study of referrals to a cancer counselling service. Int J Adv Counselling 13, 61–72 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00154643
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00154643