Expressive Writing and Adjustment to Metastatic Breast Cancer

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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We are doing this study to see if writing about life experiences helps women adjust to breast cancer that has spread. We will compare two groups. One group will write about their breast cancer experience. The other will write about their daily activities. What we learn from this study may help us to find new ways to help women cope with breast cancer that has spread.

Official Title
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Expressive Writing and Adjustment to Metastatic Breast Cancer

Conditions
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Metastatic Breast Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Writing Intervention
* Behavioral: Writing Intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Women with Stage IV breast cancer Receiving cancer care at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center At least 18 years of age Can speak, read, and write in English In the judgment of consenting professionals able to provide informed consent Score of 4 or higher on the distress thermometer (established cutoff score for probable distress; see Jacobsen et al., 2005) Exclusion Criteria: Significant psychiatric or cognitive impairment (dementia/delirium, retardation, psychosis) that in the judgment of the investigators will preclude providing informed consent and participating in the intervention Currently engaging in expressive writing (e.g., journal writing that involves expressing one's feelings) on a daily basis Currently participating in intervention trials with similar endpoints • 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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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| 1<br>emotional disclosure writing intervention | Behavioral: Writing Intervention<br>* Participants in the emotional disclosure condition will be instructed to write continuously for 20 minutes about their deepest thoughts and feelings regarding their cancer experience.<br>* Other names: delve deeply.;|
| 2<br>control writing | Behavioral: Writing Intervention<br>* Participants assigned to the control condition will be instructed to describe in a detailed, nonemotional manner their daily activities. The 20-minute writing task will be introduced as a time management intervention<br>* Other names: your writing I want you to focus only on the facts, not on your emotions.;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Determine the potential utility of expressive writing for enhancing existential well-being (i.e., increasing a sense of meaning and peace and reducing demoralization) among women with metastatic breast cancer. |  | conclusion of the study | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Determine the potential utility of expressive writing for reducing distress (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, cancer-specific and general distress) among women with metastatic breast cancer. |  | conclusion of the study | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Breast Cancer