Supportive versus cognitive-behavioral intervention programs in achieving adjustment to home peritoneal kidney dialysis

Two psychological interventions given for 8 weeks, supportive and cognitive-behavioral, were compared in achieving psychosocial adjustment to home peritoneal kidney dialysis. Participants were divided into 3 groups of patients and their spouses: a supportive group (18 couples), a cognitive behavioral group (18 couples), and a no-intervention control group (24 couples). A group of 97 healthy participants served as a baseline control group. Self-report measurements were made before treatment (T₁), halfway through (T₂), and after treatment (T₃). Results indicated that, without treatment, the no-intervention control group demonstrated a deterioration of psychosocial adjustment going from T₁ to T₃. Both interventions were effective in aiding patients and spouses in maintaining psychosocial adjustment in comparison with the no-intervention control group, with few differences between treatments. Most improvement was obtained in the emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal areas, with smaller gains made in the behavioral area.