Randomized, Controlled Trial of Written Emotional Expression and Benefit Finding in Breast Cancer Patients
Top Cited Papers
- 15 October 2002
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Journal of Clinical Oncology
- Vol. 20 (20) , 4160-4168
- https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2002.08.521
Abstract
PURPOSE: Expressing emotions and finding benefits regarding stressful experiences have been associated in correlational research with positive adjustment. A randomized trial was performed to compare effects of experimentally induced written emotional disclosure and benefit finding with a control condition on physical and psychological adjustment to breast cancer and to test whether outcomes varied as a function of participants’ cancer-related avoidance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Early-stage breast cancer patients completing medical treatment were assigned randomly to write over four sessions about (1) their deepest thoughts and feelings regarding breast cancer (EMO group; n = 21), (2) positive thoughts and feelings regarding their experience with breast cancer (POS group; n = 21), or (3) facts of their breast cancer experience (CTL group; n = 18). Psychological (eg, distress) and physical (perceived somatic symptoms and medical appointments for cancer-related morbidities) outcomes were assessed at 1- and 3-month follow-ups. RESULTS: A significant condition × cancer-related avoidance interaction emerged on psychological outcomes; EMO writing was relatively effective for women low in avoidance, and induced POS writing was more useful for women high in avoidance. Significant effects of experimental condition emerged on self-reported somatic symptoms (P = .0183) and medical appointments for cancer-related morbidities (P = .0069). Compared with CTL participants at 3 months, the EMO group reported significantly decreased physical symptoms, and EMO and POS participants had significantly fewer medical appointments for cancer-related morbidities. CONCLUSION: Experimentally induced emotional expression and benefit finding regarding early-stage breast cancer reduced medical visits for cancer-related morbidities. Effects on psychological outcomes varied as a function of cancer-related avoidance.Keywords
This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit:
- Coping through emotional approach: Scale construction and validation.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000
- Writing about the Perceived Benefits of Traumatic Events: Implications for Physical HealthPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2000
- Emotionally expressive coping predicts psychological and physical adjustment to breast cancer.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2000
- Hiding feelings: The acute effects of inhibiting negative and positive emotion.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1997
- Linguistic predictors of adaptive bereavement.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1997
- Disclosure of trauma and immune response to a hepatitis B vaccination program.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1995
- Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1989
- Disclosure of traumas and immune function: Health implications for psychotherapy.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1988
- Confronting a traumatic event: Toward an understanding of inhibition and disease.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1986
- Emotional processing of fear: Exposure to corrective information.Psychological Bulletin, 1986