Self-efficacy Coaching for Women With Breast Cancer

Breast cancer represents the leading cause of cancer in women in Switzerland with around 6,000 newly diagnosed cases per year. Beside the therapy- and cancer-associated somatic illness, about one third of patients develop anxiety disorders or depression and need psychotherapeutic or psychiatric care. Women with breast cancer display the highest psychic comorbidity compared to patients with other cancer entities (40% point prevalence) . To assist with psychological coping with the disease several psycho-oncological interventions have been established in the past decades. Self-efficacy describes the extent or strength of one's belief in one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals. Nagel \& Schreiber have developed an individualized self-efficacy coaching for cancer patients to mobilize and strengthen the belief in one's own ability to deal with and fight the disease. The SECOM-PSWE study evaluates the impact of regular self-efficacy coaching on the perceived self-efficacy and the quality of life (QoL) in patients with early breast cancer.