The Therapeutic Effect of Expressive Writing.
ConditionCancer
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorRoyal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the impact of compassionate expressive writing in people living with and beyond cancer. The main question it aims to answer is:
Does compassionate expressive writing have any impact on well-being outcomes in people living with and beyond cancer, such as body compassion, self-compassion, quality of life and psychological well-being outcomes ?
Researchers will compare compassionate expressive writing with a standard expressive writing task (with no compassionate prompt) to see if there is a difference in self-reported body compassion, self-compassion, quality of life and psychological well-being outcomes between the two conditions.
Participants will :
Complete a series of pre-intervention questionnaires. Be assigned to one of the two writing conditions. Attend four expressive writing sessions and write freely for approximately 20 minutes in response to a topic related to their cancer experience.
Complete a series of post-intervention questionnaires. Repeat the questionnaires at 1-month follow-up.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
To have experienced an internal or external change to their body due to any form of cancer and/or its treatment at any point in their lives.
To be 18 or older.
The ability to read and write in English.
To have the ability to provide informed consent.
Disqualifiers
Distress levels that make participation safe or inappropriate due to cancer prognosis or a mental health condition. (This is flagged by the score on the IES questionnaire.)
Inability to realistically commit to a 4-week intervention due to poor physical or mental health or other personal commitments.
Inability to provide informed consent.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Compassionate Expressive Writing
- Standard Expressive Writing
Treatment groups
50 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsSponsors and collaborators
Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Lead sponsor
University of Plymouth
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov