This clinical trial studies the effect of a culturally based brief expressive writing intervention in improving the health of Chinese immigrant stage 0-III breast cancer survivors. Culturally based brief expressive writing interventions may help researchers learn more about the experiences of Chinese immigrant breast cancer survivors and how writing about their experiences may affect their health.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the health benefits of expressive writing compared with the control condition. II. To characterize how acculturation moderates the effects of expressive writing interventions. III. To identify mechanisms explaining the benefits of the interventions using mixed methods. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 arms. ARM I (CONTROL): Patients write about facts regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment for 3 weekly 30-minute sessions. ARM II (SELF-REGULATION): Patients write about stress and coping, emotional disclosure, and benefit finding for 3 weekly 30-minute sessions. ARM III (SELF-CULTIVATION): Patients write about positive thoughts and feelings regarding their breast cancer experience for 3 weekly 30-minute sessions. After completion of study, patients are followed up at 6 weeks and at 6 and 12 months.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
256
Write about stress and coping, emotional disclosure, and benefit finding
Write about positive thoughts and feelings regarding their breast cancer experience
Write about facts regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment
Ancillary studies
Ancillary studies
M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States
Quality of life (QOL)
Quality of life will be measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for patients with breast cancer (FACT-B). The scale contains 27 items that assess perceived QoL in four domains: physical well-being, social well-being, emotional well-being and functional well-being. Items are rated on a 5-point scale from 0 - not at all, to 4 - very much. Total scores range between 0 and 108, with higher scores indicating better quality of life
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Perceived stress
Perceived stress will be measured by the Perceived Stress Scale. The current perceived stress has 4 items. Participants rate the degree to which they perceive their life situation, as described in each item, using a five-point Likert scale from 0 - never, to 4 - very often. Total scores range between 0 and 40; higher scores indicate higher perceived stress.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Stress biomarker - alpha amylase
Alpha amylase will be assessed via saliva samples. Higher levels of perceived stress are associated with dysregulated salivary alpha-amylase levels.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Stress biomarker-cortisol
Salivary cortisol will be assessed via saliva samples. Higher levels of perceived stress are associated with dysregulated cortisol levels.
Time frame: Up to 6 weeks
Number of medical appointments for cancer-related morbidities
Will include appointments for non-routine cancer-related problems (e.g., lymphedema, breast symptoms, or possible recurrence) but exclude scheduled check-ups and non-routine medical appointments for other problems, such as flu symptoms.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
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