Life Program: Pilot Testing a Palliative Psychology Group Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial interventions for palliative care populations, individuals with life-limiting illness, improve distress; however, less is known about these interventions among military Veterans.

OBJECTIVES: This quality improvement project evaluated a palliative psychology group intervention to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress among Veterans with advanced life-limiting illness.

METHODS: Veterans receiving palliative care at a mid-Atlantic VA healthcare system were referred by a mental health provider. The group intervention was delivered face-to-face in six to eight weekly sessions, with groups of four to eight participants. The intervention (Life Program), was a hybrid of cognitive-behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy that targeted: personal values, mindfulness, and psychological flexibility. A single-arm pre-post-test design was used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress, and satisfaction with the intervention.

RESULTS: Seventy-five percent (39/52) of all Veterans who were contacted expressed interest and agreed to participate. Seventeen of 39 enrolled Veterans completed all sessions. The mean age of participants who completed the program was 63.06 (standard deviation = 8.47). Most participants were male (88%), Caucasian (58%), and had a cancer diagnosis (65%). Mean pre-post reductions in depression (18.82 vs. 13.20), anxiety (16.59 vs. 14.59), stress (19.18 vs. 13.88), and psychological inflexibility were observed. Mean differences in symptom severity were clinically meaningful. Barriers to feasibility included transportation issues and illness burden.

CONCLUSIONS: Veterans who completed all sessions of a palliative psychology group intervention had reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. Estimates of the treatment effects may be inflated using completer data alone. Further research is needed to inform ways to improve program engagement and adherence and examine efficacy in Veterans with advanced life-limiting illness.