THE EFFECT OF HOPE-BASED GROUP THERAPY ON THE CANCER PATIENTS` QUALITY OF LIFE BASED ON SNYDER'S HOPE THEORY

Cancer is a chronic disorder which extremely affects the individuals` health and
quality of life. Cancer patients lose their independence and ability to be effectively present in family and
community and fell lack of competence and confidence. The present study aims at analyzing the effect
of hope-based group therapy on the cancer patients` quality of life in Urmia Imam Khomeini educational
therapeutic center.
Materials & Methods: The present study is an experimental and a randomized clinical trial which is
conducted on 40 cancer patients who have referred to the Imam Khomeini educational therapeutic center
of Urmia. Patients were selected based on convenience sampling and then they were randomly divided
into two intervention and control groups, each having 20 members. Participants of the intervention group
were trained based on Snyder's hope theory during one session per week for 8 sessions. The data
collection tools included a Demographic Questionnaire, Snyder`s Hope Questionnaire and cancerspecific quality of life questionnaire QLQ-C30 and for data analysis descriptive and inferential statistics
was used.
Results: The research findings showed that hope-based group therapy increases the mean scores of two
components of Functional and quality of life in the intervention group (p<0.05) but there were not any
meaningful differences in the symptoms component (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Based on the research findings, the authors concluded that hope therapy has a considerable
effect on improving different aspects of male and female cancer patients` health-related quality of life.
Therefore, by using the findings of the present research and implementing programs and strategies to
intervene hope-based group therapy for cancer patients, officials and administrators of health system in
Iran can improve these patients` quality of life in different domains.