A Pilot Study on Gratitude Journaling for Black Breast Cancer Survivors
Background
Breast cancer survivorship shows significant health disparities, especially in Black women, who have a 40% higher death rate compared to White women. These issues are worsened by other health problems and psychosocial challenges, leading to increased stress and lower well-being. This pilot study explores a gratitude journaling program aimed at improving spiritual well-being and exercise self-efficacy among Black breast cancer survivors.
Methods
The study used a simple design with two groups: one practicing gratitude journaling and the other keeping a general memory journal. Twenty-six Black women aged 40 to 70 with a history of breast cancer participated. The gratitude group wrote in their journals twice a week for eight weeks, while the control group recorded daily memories. Various outcomes were measured, including spiritual well-being and stress levels.
Results
Of the 26 participants, 73% completed the study. The gratitude journaling group showed a significant boost in spiritual well-being (p = 0.014) with a large effect size. There were also slight improvements in exercise self-efficacy. While no major differences were found in gratitude levels or perceived stress, trends suggested increased gratitude and reduced stress in the intervention group. Some inflammatory markers showed changes, but they were not statistically significant.
Conclusion
This study highlights the feasibility and acceptance of a gratitude journaling intervention for Black breast cancer survivors. It significantly improved spiritual well-being and showed potential for enhancing exercise self-efficacy, indicating its value for promoting overall wellness. These findings pave the way for larger studies to further explore gratitude-based interventions for this group.
Trial Registration
This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05473026).
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