英文摘要 |
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of "Intimacy group counseling" on enhancing the couples’ intimacy relationship of breast cancer patients and their partners. This study used mixed methods in data collection and analysis. Follow-up explanations model was adopted to explain quantitative data gathered through one group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Participants were 11 couples each consisted of patient, with breast cancer and their partners.Marital Intimacy Inventory (MII) was used to evaluate the effect of group therapy. All data were analyzed by nonparametric test, including Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Qualitative data were gathered from interviewing 11 couples after they finished the intimacy group counseling. Inductive analysis of data was conducted. The following findings were obtaineds: (1) Posttest scores on intimacy were significantly higher than the pretest scores, which indicated that the content of "Intimacy group counseling" was highly effective in enhancing the levels of intimacy for the breast cancer patients and partners, especially in "spiritual intimacy", "physical intimacy", and "emotion intimacy". (2) Group counseling significantly enhanced intimacy of "low marital intimacy", "partner", and "male " groups. (3) Group counseling enhanced sexual intimacy on breast cancer patients and partners in "low marital intimacy" group, indicating the topic of "sexual intimacy" is still necessary in group counseling. (4) Group counseling improved intimate efficacy in different ways between male and female, which showed the breast cancer couples had different intimacy needs. Overall, results indicated that "Intimacy group counseling" effectively enhanced intimate relationship between breast cancer patients and partners. Limitations of the study and implications for practice and future research are discussed. |