Couple-Focused Interventions for Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and Their Partners
Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
presented by Sharon Manne PhD and David Kissane MD

Workshop Objectives:

1. To familiarize participants with specific relationship and intimacy issues encountered by men with prostate cancer and their partners.

2. To familiarize participants with two couple-focused intimacy-enhancing interventions for men diagnosed with early stage or recurrence of prostate cancer and their partners.

3. To present data supporting the efficacy of these interventions.

Workshop Description:

This workshop will focus on learning about specific relationship issues commonly encountered by men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their partners and presenting two models of couple-focused psychological intervention. We will first review what is known about the relationship issues and challenges relevant to prostate cancer, using both work published by others and our own preliminary studies. We will review the key role that communication, particularly regarding sexual and emotional intimacy, plays in couples' psychosocial adaptation. Next we will present two couple-focused intimacy-enhancing interventions we have developed to specifically target the unique challenges encountered by these couples. One intervention targets men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer who have undergone prostate cancer surgery (presented by Manne) and focuses on enhancing communication regarding sexual and emotional intimacy issues. The second intervention targets men treated with hormonal therapy and focuses on couples in which one or both partners report high levels of emotional distress (presented by Kissane). We will present both intervention models and train participants in the delivery of both intervention approaches using videotaped illustrations of intervention strategies and common problems and concerns voiced by couples and utilize role play to enhance participants' skills in intervention delivery. We will also provide preliminary data on the efficacy of both intervention approaches.