NCT03319342

Kindness Interventions in Enhancing Well-Being in Breast Cancer Survivors

Kindness to Others or to Oneself: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Kindness Interventions to Enhance Well-Being in Breast Cancer Survivors

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 133 (actual)
• Sponsor: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 19 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Emerging evidence suggests that both extending kindness towards others and self-kindness practices may have beneficial effects on well-being. This randomized pilot clinical trial will investigate the efficacy of two kindness interventions -acts of kindness (to self or to other) and loving-kindness meditation- for use with early-stage breast cancer survivors.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To refine two interventions - loving kindness and acts of kindness- for use with breast cancer survivors using an online platform. II. To determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of these interventions on positive affect, depressive symptoms, and other aspects of well-being among women with breast cancer. OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to 1 of 4 groups. GROUP I (ACTS OF KINDNESS TO OTHERS): Participants perform small acts of kindness or generosity for others 3 times per week for 4 weeks and complete weekly online questionnaires. GROUP II (ACTS OF KINDNESS TO SELF): Participants perform small acts of kindness for themselves 3 times per week for 4 weeks and complete weekly online questionnaires. GROUP III (SELF-KINDNESS MEDITATION): Participants direct kind, loving thoughts to themselves, via guided meditation, 3 times per week for 4 weeks and complete weekly online questionnaires. GROUP IV (CONTROL): Participants keep track of their daily activities, focusing on factual information rather than thoughts and feelings, on 3 separate days each week. At the end of the week, participants report on their activities and complete several online questionnaires.

Conditions

• Cancer Survivor
• Stage 0 Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
• Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v7
• Stage IA Breast Cancer AJCC v7
• Stage IB Breast Cancer AJCC v7
• Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
• Stage IIA Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
• Stage IIB Breast Cancer AJCC v6 and v7
• Stage IIIA Breast Cancer AJCC v7

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Behavioral Intervention	Perform acts of kindness to others
BEHAVIORAL	Behavioral Intervention	Perform acts of kindness to self
BEHAVIORAL	Behavioral Intervention	Perform self-kindness meditation
BEHAVIORAL	Behavioral Intervention	Keep track of daily activities
OTHER	Questionnaire Administration	Ancillary studies

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-07-11
• Primary completion: 2019-12-03
• Completion: 2019-12-03
• First posted: 2017-10-24
• Last updated: 2020-07-24

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States