Eun Young Park; Mungsun Yi

doi:10.4040/jkan.2012.42.2.269

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Original Article
Development and Effectiveness of Expressive Writing Program for Women with Breast Cancer in Korea: Eun Young Park, Mungsun Yi; Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2012;42(2):269-279.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.2.269
Published online: April 30, 2012

¹Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.

²Professor, College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Park, Eun Young. College of Nursing, Gachon University, Incheon. Korea, 191 Hambacmoi-ro, Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-812. Tel: +82-32-820-4207, 010-5035-1305, FAX: +82-32-820-4201, parkeunyoung@gachon.ac.kr

• Received: August 8, 2011 • Accepted: April 26, 2012

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Abstract
NOTES
REFERENCES

Abstract

Purpose
To develop a expressive writing program for women with breast cancer and to identify its effects on stress physical symptom, cancer symptom, anxiety, depression, and QOL.
Methods
A non-equivalent control pre-post design was used. Participants were recruited from self-help groups in six hospitals and were assigned to the experimental group (29) or control group (29). Data were collected before, after, and at four weeks after the intervention program. Changes in the variables were evaluated to test effects of the developed program, using χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, repeated measures ANOVA, and paired t-test.
Results
The expressive writing program was developed for women with breast cancer based on Pennebaker's expressive writing. Significant differences were found between the two groups for stress related to physical symptoms (p<.00) and quality of life (p=.024). No significant differences were found in cancer symptoms, anxiety, or depression between the two groups.
Conclusion
The results indicate that the expressive writing program designed to express cancer-related deep thoughts and emotions helps in decreasing physical symptoms and improving QOL. Further studies are needed to identify the effect on emotions such as anxiety and depression for women with breast cancer with above average levels of anxiety and depression.
Keywords: Expressed emotion; Breast neoplasms; Writing; Women; Intervention studies

This article is base on a part of the first author's doctoral thesis from Seoul National University.

REFERENCES

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Figure 1

Conceptual framework of this study.

Table 1

Contents of the Expressive Writing Program

Table 2

Homogeneity Test of Sociodemographic and Medical Characteristics

^*Fisher's exact test.

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group.

Table 3

Differences and Repeated Measures ANOVA of Expressive Writing on Variables between Experimental and Control Group (N=58)

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group; PILL=Pennebaker's Inventory of Limbic Languidness; MDASI=M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory; C-QOL=Cancer-Quality of Life.

Figure & Data

REFERENCES

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Development and Effectiveness of Expressive Writing Program for Women with Breast Cancer in Korea

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2012;42(2):269-279. Published online April 30, 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.2.269

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Development and Effectiveness of Expressive Writing Program for Women with Breast Cancer in Korea

Figure 1 Conceptual framework of this study.

Figure 1

Development and Effectiveness of Expressive Writing Program for Women with Breast Cancer in Korea

Table 1

Contents of the Expressive Writing Program

Table 2

Homogeneity Test of Sociodemographic and Medical Characteristics

^*Fisher's exact test.

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group.

Table 3

Differences and Repeated Measures ANOVA of Expressive Writing on Variables between Experimental and Control Group (N=58)

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group; PILL=Pennebaker's Inventory of Limbic Languidness; MDASI=M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory; C-QOL=Cancer-Quality of Life.

Table 1 Contents of the Expressive Writing Program

Table 2 Homogeneity Test of Sociodemographic and Medical Characteristics

^*Fisher's exact test.

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group.

Table 3 Differences and Repeated Measures ANOVA of Expressive Writing on Variables between Experimental and Control Group (N=58)

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group; PILL=Pennebaker's Inventory of Limbic Languidness; MDASI=M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory; C-QOL=Cancer-Quality of Life.