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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Falko Sniehotta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2025 The Authors. Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a frequent and impactful symptom for many people with breast cancer. Cognitive biases are believed to influence CRF and were explored in the current mixed methods pilot study investigating a preventive Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) training. Methods: Two data sets were combined resulting in 31 people with recently diagnosed breast cancer (n = 18 intervention group, n = 13 control group). Both groups were measured on self-identity bias and weekly fatigue and vitality before and after the intervention. The intervention group also answered daily fatigue and vitality scales and was interviewed after training. Potential training effects were assessed by exploring time series graphs on self-identity bias, vitality and fatigue, and trajectories of change during training. Results: Some indications of potential training effects were found on self-identity bias, weekly fatigue, and daily fatigue and vitality. Participants were accepting about the training and app features. Conclusions: This is the first study to research a preventive CBM targeting fatigue. Although this is a pilot study with small sample size, promising results were found. These results need to be confirmed in an randomized controlled trial with longer follow-up, sufficient control conditions, and a sample size to detect small effect sizes. CBM is a promising intervention for targeting fatigue in patients with breast cancer who show translational potential for other symptoms and patient groups. This study adds the promising potential of CBM as a preventive intervention.
Author(s): Geerts JA, Bode C, Sniehotta FF, Siemerink EJM, Pieterse ME
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice
Year: 2025
Volume: 7
Issue: 3
Online publication date: 29/08/2025
Acceptance date: 24/06/2025
Date deposited: 16/09/2025
ISSN (electronic): 2637-5974
Publisher: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
URL: https://doi.org/10.1097/OR9.0000000000000181
DOI: 10.1097/OR9.0000000000000181
Data Access Statement: The data generated during and/or analyzed during this study are not publicly available due to privacy reasons but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Ethics approval, participant permissions, and all other relevant approvals were granted for this data sharing.
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