Exercise, supportive group therapy, and mood profile of Greek cancer patients: intervention effect and related comparisons

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise program and a group psychotherapy program on mood profile of Greek cancer patients as well as to make the necessary comparisons.

The sample consisted of 39 cancer patients (10 males and 29 females), randomly assigned to the three following groups: control, exercise and psychotherapy groups (13 patients in each group). The duration of the training program for the individuals of the exercise group was 10 weeks with two sessions per week, lasting 60 min each. The patients of the psychotherapy group received 10 weeks of supportive–expressive group therapy, once a week, 90 min long. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire was administered to examine the short-term effect of both programs before and after intervention in terms of distinct mood states. Control group individuals did not participate in any program and they just filled in the POMS questionnaire before and after intervention.

Post hoc analysis revealed an anger reduction, as regards the supportive therapy group presenting statistically significant results from both the control group (− 6.91 units drop in anger subscale score, p < .001) and the exercise group (− 4.75 units drop in anger subscale score, p = .007). Regarding total POMS score, results also favored the supportive therapy group as compared to the control group (− 28.95 units drop in total POMS score, p = .001). Post-intervention values were also improved for the exercise group, but not to the extent to produce statistically significant results.

The findings of this study strongly support the beneficial effect of psychological intervention on anger and total mood score of patients with cancer, followed by the positive effect of the exercise program but not to the same extent as in the case of supportive therapy intervention.