Stanton Annette L, Danoff-Burg Sharon, Sworowski Lisa A, Collins Charlotte A, Branstetter Ann D, Rodriguez-Hanley Alicia, Kirk Sarah B, Austenfeld Jennifer L
Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
J Clin Oncol. 2002 Oct 15;20(20):4160-8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2002.08.521.
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.
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.
A significant condition x 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.
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.
在相关性研究中，表达情绪和从压力经历中发现益处与积极适应相关联。进行了一项随机试验，以比较实验诱导的书面情绪表露和发现益处与对照条件对乳腺癌身心适应的影响，并测试结果是否因参与者对癌症相关问题的回避情况而有所不同。
完成医学治疗的早期乳腺癌患者被随机分配，在四个疗程中书写关于（1）她们对乳腺癌最深层的想法和感受（情绪表露组；n = 21），（2）她们对乳腺癌经历的积极想法和感受（积极组；n = 21），或（3）她们乳腺癌经历的事实（对照组；n = 18）。在1个月和3个月的随访中评估心理（如痛苦）和身体（感知到的躯体症状以及因癌症相关疾病进行的医疗预约）结果。
在心理结果方面出现了显著的条件×癌症相关回避交互作用；情绪表露书写对回避程度低的女性相对有效，而诱导的积极书写对回避程度高的女性更有用。实验条件对自我报告的躯体症状（P = 0.0183）和因癌症相关疾病进行的医疗预约（P = 0.0069）有显著影响。与3个月时的对照组参与者相比，情绪表露组报告身体症状显著减轻，情绪表露组和积极组因癌症相关疾病进行的医疗预约显著减少。
实验诱导的关于早期乳腺癌的情绪表达和发现益处减少了因癌症相关疾病的就诊次数。对心理结果的影响因癌症相关回避情况而异。
