Development and Effectiveness of Expressive Writing Program for Women with Breast Cancer in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a expressive writing program for women with breast cancer and to identify its effects on stress physical symptom, cancer symptom, anxiety, depression, and QOL. Methods: A non-equivalent control pre-post design was used. Participants were recruited from self-help groups in six hospitals and were assigned to the experimental group (29) or control group (29). Data were collected before, after, and at four weeks after the intervention program. Changes in the variables were evaluated to test effects of the developed program, using X 2 -test, Fisher's exact test, repeated measures ANOVA, and paired t-test. Results: The expressive writing program was developed for women with breast cancer based on Pennebaker's expressive writing. Significant differences were found between the two groups for stress related to physical symptoms (p< .00) and quality of life (p= .024). No significant differences were found in cancer symptoms, anxiety, or depression between the two groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that the expressive writing program designed to express cancer-related deep thoughts and emotions helps in decreasing physical symptoms and improving QOL. Further studies are needed to identify the effect on emotions such as anxiety and depression for women with breast cancer with above average levels of anxiety and depression.

Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic considerations

“…Among the 64 studies, 9,51-58,66-119 one was written not in the English language but in Korean. 78 Smyth et al 107 and D'Souza 120 evaluated the effect of TW in two groups of patients with different conditions and reported relevant outcomes independently. Data were extracted on the most recent paper, or the most complete piece of information in the case of duplicates of an abstract and when the corresponding published article of a PhD thesis was retrieved.…”

“…Of the 64 included studies, 9,51-58,66-119 59 9,51,[54][55][56][57][58][66][67][68][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86]88,89,91, were RCTs, and four 52,78,87,92 were non-randomised studies. The remaining study 53 was a matched case-control study.…”

“…The number of studies published by year is shown in Figure 2, and the frequency of outcomes evaluated across the included studies is shown in Figure 3. 74 Gellaitry 2010, 75 Henry 2010, 53 Hughes 2007, 54 Jensen-Johansen 2013, 76 Mosher 2012, 77 Park 2012, 78 (Golkaramnay 2007 68 ), Graf 2008, 95 Krpan 2013, 96 …”

“…Almost all studies were conducted in the USA except for Park and Yi, 78 which was conducted in Korea and published in the Korean language (which was translated into English), and Jensen-Johansen et al, 76 which was conducted in Denmark and published in English.…”

“…54,59 In the remaining studies, participants in Henry et al 53 had stage 0-III breast cancer and had completed radiation, and in Park and Yi 78 they had stage II and III breast cancer and had undergone surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. Participants in Henry 53 were urban and rural women with breast cancer who were still attending radiation oncology clinics, whereas patients in Park and Yi, 78 had been recruited from self-help groups.…”