DOI: 10.11648/j.ajap.20261505.12 ISSN: 2328-5672

Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Emotional Trauma in Cervical Cancer Patients at Referral Hospitals in Western Kenya

Milkah Angachi, Josephine Muchiri, Lucy Njiru, Sam Ojuade, Peter Itsura
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Cervical cancer patients often experience significant psychological distress, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), a structured trauma-focused intervention, has shown promise in reducing such distress, but evidence in oncology settings remains limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of CPT in alleviating psychological distress among outpatient cervical cancer patients attending two referral hospitals in Western Kenya. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was employed with 68 participants (mean age = 42.6 years, SD = 8.9), recruited through purposive sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups. Key clinical characteristics such as cancer stage and treatment status were documented to contextualize findings. The experimental group received CPT, delivered in 12 weekly sessions of approximately 90 minutes each, while the control group received treatment as usual (standard medical support). Psychological distress was assessed using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up. Results showed significant reductions in PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms in the experimental group compared to the control group. Mean scores decreased from baseline to 6-month follow-up for PTSD (M = 2.35 to 1.12), anxiety (M = 21.35 to 5.03), and depression (M = 21.10 to 7.86), while no meaningful changes were observed in the control group. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed statistically significant differences between groups post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6-month follow-ups (p < 0.001). Difference-in-Differences (DiD) estimators revealed mean declines of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.80-1.15) for PTSD, 16.78 (95% CI: 14.17-19.38) for anxiety, and 14.44 (95% CI: 11.64-17.25) for depression. Effect size analysis using partial eta squared (η 2 p) revealed medium effects for PTSD (η 2 p = .067) and depression (η 2 p =.064), and a medium-to-strong effect for anxiety (η 2 p =.073). These findings suggest that CPT is a promising intervention for reducing psychological distress among cervical cancer patients. Given the quasi-experimental design and relatively small sample, conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, integrating CPT alongside medical care could enhance quality of life outcomes in this population.

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