Objective:To explore the impact of supportive-expressive group therapy on the fear of disease progression and self-perceived burden of patients with early chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods:A total of 150 early CKD patients in the Nephrology Department of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from May 2018 to July 2020 were selected and divided into research group with 88 cases and control group with 88 cases by random number table method. There were 12 cases were lost in the research group, 14 cases were lost in the control group. 76 cases in the research group and 74 cases in the control group were involved in the statistical analysis. The control group was treated with routine nursing while the research group was treated with nursing measures based on supportive-expressive group therapy as well as routine nursing. The effect of intervention was assessed by Fear of disease Progression (FoP) Questionnaire and Self-Perceived Burden Scale (SPBS) before and 12 weeks after the intervention.Results:There was no significant difference in the scores of FoP and Self Perceived Burden Scale (SPBS) between the two groups before the intervention ( P>0.05). After intervention, the scores of emotional reactions, loss of autonomy, partnership/family, anxiety response and the total score of FoP in the research group were (35.79 ± 5.82), (18.52 ± 3.16), (16.23 ± 2.27), (21.57 ± 2.92), (110.81 ± 17.12) respectively, which were lower than those in the control group (47.61 ± 7.13), (24.61 ± 3.97), (24.52 ± 3.71), (31.67 ± 3.87), (147.32 ± 21.72), and the differences were statistically significant ( t values were -18.07 - -10.41, all P<0.05). After intervention, the scores of physical factors, emotional factors and the total score of SPBS in the research group were (10.15 ± 1.82), (10.17 ± 1.86), (24.01 ± 4.25), which were lower than those in the control group (15.87 ± 2.57), (16.81 ± 3.14), (36.39 ± 6.32), and the differences were statistically significant ( t values were -15.76, -15.92, -14.11, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Supportive-expressive group therapy can effectively reduce the early CKD patients′ fear of disease progression and relieve their self-perceived burden.