Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| Study | Design | Country | BC stage | Mean age ±SD | Sample | Intervention type | Outcome measures | Cortisol | Measurement timepoint | Time of cortisol measures | Interv, length | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Control group | Experimental group | Control group | Experimental group | Control group | |||||||||
| Baker et al. (2012) | RCT pilot | UK | 0-III | 52.3 ± 11.3 | 53.3 ± 6.4 | n = 6 | n = 6 | Haven psychological support program including complementary therapies for BC patients | Standard medical treatment alone | Psychosocial, immune, endocrine | Salivary | Baseline, 3 m, 6 m | AM, PM | 4 m |
| Chan et al. (2006) | RCT | Hong Kong (China) | I-III | 49.52 ± 6.94 (BMS) 46.88 ± 8.79 (SE) 50.3 ± 8.40 (SS) | 47.47 ± 9.81 | n = 27 (BMS) n = 16 (SE) n = 16 (SS) | n = 17 | BMS (body mind spirit group), SE (supportive expressive therapy group), SS (social support self-help group) | Participants were given educational materials about nutrition, diet, body care after chemo-radiotherapy, edema | Psychological, physiological | Salivary | Baseline, 4 m, 8 m | AM, PM | 8 m |
| Cruess et al. (2000) | Randomized waitlist control trial | Florida (US) | I-III | 45.65 ± 7.61 | 45.65 ± 7.61 | n = 24 | n = 10 | CBSM (cognitive behavioral stress management) therapy and relaxation techniques | Waitlist Controls | Cortisol, Benefit finding, Distress | Serum | Baseline, 10w | PM | 10 w |
| Dodds et al. (2015) | Randomized waitlist control trial | Arizona (US) | I-IV | 54.7 ± 12.1 | 55.8 ± 9.7 | n = 12 | n = 16 | CBCT (cognitively based compassion training) | Waitlist Controls | Behavioral, psychosocial (self-report) and cortisol | Salivary | Baseline, 8 w, 12 w | AM, PM | 8 w |
| Hsiao et al. (2012) | RCT | Hong Kong (China) | I-III | 45.8 ± 6.9 | 46.5 ± 10.2 | n = 26 | n = 22 | BMS (body mind spirit group) therapy | EDU (1xeducational session on health behaviors and emotional expression) | Beck depression inventory, meaning of life questionnaire, cortisol | Salivary | Baseline, 2 m, 5 m, 8 m | PM | 2 m |
| Phillips et al. (2011) | RCT | Florida (US) | 0-III | 49.69 ± 7.89 | 49.69 ± 7.89 | n = 63 | n = 65 | CBSM (cognitive behavioral stress management) | One day group-based psychoeducation seminar in lecture format on stress management techniques | Stress management skills (MOC2 questionnaire), cortisol | Serum | Baseline, 6 m, 12 m | PM | 10 w |
| Schedlowski (1994) | Voluntary allocation control exploratory study, pre-post | Germany | I-III | 51.0 | 50.6 | n = 14 | n = 10 | Relaxation techniques, “body-network”, health education, guided imagery, enhancement of stress and illness related coping skills - twice a week | Controls received the same treatment two days after the second and 10th week intervention group. | Self-report coping questionnaire, lymphocytes, cortisol | Serum | Baseline, pre and post second session, pre and post 10th week | PM | 10 w |
| Matchim et al. (2011) | Quasi experimental, pre-post control | Missouri(US) | 0-II | 56.87 | 61.47 | n = 15 | n = 17 | MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) weekly teaching | No MBSR intervention | BP, heart rate. respiratory rate, mood disturbance, symptoms of stress and mindfulness state questionnaires, cortisol | Salivary | Baseline, following intervention and 1m after the program | AM, PM | 8 w |