Expressive Writing for Cancer Survivors

Experimental: Cancer survivors

Adult survivors of any kind of cancer (except for minor skin cancer) are eligible to participate

Conductual: Expressive writing

During this daylong expressive writing workshop intervention, the writing instructor coached participants through a series of simple writing exercises. Participation required neither any prior writing experience, nor any desire to become a writer. The practices cultivate natural abilities to express the ideas that define who you are and how you experience your life.

Change in resilience as measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale

This 25-item scale addresses resilience, and has been studied in a variety of populations. Resilience is considered as the capacity to overcome adversity.

Post-writing survey

This five-question survey is used after each writing exercise to measure how respondents reflect on their writing. This survey asks participants to respond to the first four questions using a 10-point Likert-type scale endorsing the degree to which each item reflects their thoughts and feeling about their writing. The fifth question asks for a free-response reflection on how they think and feel about how their writing went.

Change in quality of life as measured by the Quality of Life Patient/Cancer Survivor Version (QOL-CSV)

The QOL-CSV is a 41-item ordinal scale measuring quality of life as a cancer patient that originated in use for pain research and was recently adapted for use in long-term cancer survivorship. This survey asks participants to measure their quality of life in terms of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of well-being.

Change in perceived stress as measured by Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)

The PSS-10 is a well-known 10-item questionnaire used to evaluate responders' perceptions about their level of stress and their ability to cope with stress over the last month. Results from this questionnaire have demonstrated acceptable levels of validity and reliability. This inventory asks participants to respond using a 10-point Likert-type scale when endorsing the degree to which each item best reflects their thoughts and feelings within the past month.

Change in depression as measured by Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R)

The 20-item CESD-R is one of the most common screening tests that measures depressive feelings and behaviors within the past week.

Qualitative follow-up questionnaire

This qualitative follow-up questionnaire will be administered 6 months after the study intervention to capture participants' reflections on their experience in the study.