The effectiveness of computer-assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT) for psychological outcomes in patients with laryngectomy: Randomized controlled trial

Background: The symptom burden was tremendous and rates of psychological distress were high because of laryngectomy in Laryngeal carcinoma. Anxiety and depression as mainly psychological distress influenced their sleep, pain, and the quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to assess the effiacy of computer-assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT) for psychological outcomes and QOL in patients with laryngectomy, in addition to overall experience with health care service, during the perioperative period. Methods: A cCBT program was be customized focused on improving anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with laryngectomy, and then its effectiveness was assessed. Participants were randomly assigned to the TAU (treatment as usual) group (n=40) or CCBT group (cCBT+ TAU, n = 40). The primary outcome measures were the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The secondary outcome measures were the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Visual Analogue Scale-10 (VAS-10). The outcomes were obtained from patients before intervention (T1), 1 hour before surgery (T2), postoperative 3-day (T3), postoperative 7-day (T4), and postoperative 10-day(T5: after intervention completed). Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) and satisfaction for health care service were assessed before discharge. Results: A mixed linear model displayed significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain in the two groups (all p<0.001); and revealed a significant decreasing on the SAI, PHQ-9, AIS, and VAS10 scores in the CCBT group compared to that of TAU group during the post-intervention periods (all p<0.05). Furthermore, the other QOL of patients were higher except for physical well-being (p=0.176) and the satisfaction scores were higher in the CCBT group than that of TAU group (all p<0.05). Conclusion: The new developed cCBT program has a positive effect on psychosomatic symptoms surgery-related among patients with laryngectomy,. And patients with cCBT program reported high levels of QOL and satisfaction during perioperative period. To minimize face-to-face contact, the computer-assisted intervention may be an attractive approach.

Automated summary

This study demonstrated the positive impact of computer-assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT) on psychological and health outcomes during the perioperative period for patients with laryngectomy, showing significant improvements in anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain symptoms, as well as increased quality of life (QOL) and satisfaction with healthcare services.