Writing About Experiences With Ovarian Cancer

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This online study aims to understand whether writing about one's experiences with ovarian cancer may be beneficial for psychological and physical wellbeing in women with a history of ovarian cancer. Investigators are also interested in studying how certain individual characteristics may impact the effectiveness of writing. Participants will be asked to complete an initial survey (15 min), followed by writing about their experiences with ovarian cancer on four occasions (20 - 25 min each), over the course of two weeks. A final survey (10 min) will be completed one month afterwards.

Detailed Description
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The purpose of this randomized controlled experiment is to examine the effects of writing about experiences with ovarian cancer on psychological and physical outcomes in English-speaking women with a history of ovarian cancer. It will also examine how certain individual characteristics may impact the effectiveness of the writing interventions for different women. After completing an initial survey, women will be asked to write about their experiences with ovarian cancer on 4 separate occasions of 20-25 min each in the course of 2 weeks. A final survey will be completed one month after the last writing session. The entire study will be conducted online.

Official Title
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Writing About Experiences With Ovarian Cancer

Conditions
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Ovarian Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Expressive Writing
* Behavioral: Fact Writing (Control)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Women with a history of ovarian cancer (any stage) At least 18 years old English-speaking/Can comfortably read and write in English Able to provide informed consent Internet access Valid email address Any region/country Exclusion Criteria: Minors (younger than 18) Lack of English proficiency Inability to provide informed consent Male

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Expressive Writing<br>Writing about ovarian cancer: Participants will be asked to write about their deepest thoughts and emotions about their experience with ovarian cancer | Behavioral: Expressive Writing<br>* Participants will be asked to write about their deepest thoughts and emotions about their experience with ovarian cancer<br>|
| Active Comparator: Fact Writing (Control)<br>Writing about ovarian cancer: Participants will be asked to write about the facts of their experience with ovarian cancer | Behavioral: Fact Writing (Control)<br>* Participants will be asked to write about the facts of their experience with ovarian cancer<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Psychological Functioning (Wellbeing/Distress) | Various aspects of social, emotional and functional wellbeing will be assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer-Ovarian measure (FACT-O, Version 4, Basen-Engquist et al, 2001). Distress about ovarian cancer will be assessed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES, Horowitz, Wilner & Alvarez, 1979). | 6 - 9 weeks, with timely completion of writing: Initial survey (day 1), after 2nd writing task (week 1), after 4th writing task (week 2), and one month after last writing task (week 6) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Physical Wellbeing | Physical symptoms and concerns specific to ovarian cancer will be assessed using Functional Assessment of Cancer - Ovarian (FACT-O, Version 4, Basen-Engquist et al, 2001). | 6 - 9 weeks, with timely completion of writing: Initial survey (day 1), after 2nd writing task (week 1), after 4th writing task (week 2), and one month after last writing task (week 6) | 
| Changes in affect before and after writing about ovarian cancer | Positive and negative affect will be assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS, Watson, Clark & Tellegen, 1988). | Prior to and after each of 4 writing tasks (weeks 1 - 2) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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ovarian cancer, expressive writing, writing interventions, psychosocial support