Health SMART (Stress Management and Relaxation Training)

The study will examine the effects of a cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) group intervention on antibody and cellular immune function among women who are at elevated risk for breast cancer because of family history. Hypothesis 1: Women who participate in the CBSM intervention will have a larger primary and secondary antibody response to HA vaccine compared to women in the comparison group. Hypothesis 2: In response to stimulation with HA antigen, lymphocytes from women who participate in the CBSM intervention will have larger primary and secondary in-vitro proliferative response to HA antigen, and increased primary and secondary in-vitro TH1 cytokine response to HA antigen compared to lymphocytes from women in the comparison group. Hypothesis 3: Women who participate in the 10-week CBSM group intervention will report lower levels of distress immediately after the intervention compared to women in the comparison group. Changes in distress as a result of the intervention will be associated with any significant changes in immune function discovered in Aims 1 and 2.