LOL: It's All Improv After Cancer! The Impact of Improvisational Comedy on Well-Being Among Patients With Cancer

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-11-30

Study Completion Date

2017-12-20

Brief Summary

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Managing distress and improving well-being is critically important for optimal survivorship care. Treatment of distress leads to better adherence to treatment, better communication, fewer calls and visits to the oncologist's office, and avoidance of development of severe anxiety or depression. Based on national guidelines, distress is typically managed with pharmacologic options (i.e. benzodiazepines), support groups, individual counseling, or chaplaincy services. To our knowledge, the role of a structured improvisational comedy (improv) program in reducing distress and improving well-being has never been evaluated in the oncology setting.

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Detailed Description

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With over 14 million cancer survivors today in the United States comes a unique constellation of challenges and opportunities for health care providers trying to optimize health at a time when many patients are struggling and open to learning new skills for strengthening their own resiliency and ability to cope. Not only does a significant subset of patients with cancer experience an increase in negative emotions, such as distress, anxiety and depression, but they often also experience a lack of positive emotions (Hart 2010). Managing distress and improving well-being is critically important for optimal survivorship care. Treatment of distress leads to better adherence to treatment, better communication, fewer calls and visits to the oncologist's office, and avoidance of development of severe anxiety or depression (Partridge, Wang et al. 2003; Carlson and Bultz 2004; 2014). Based on national guidelines, distress is typically managed with pharmacologic options (i.e. benzodiazepines), support groups, individual counseling, or chaplaincy services. To our knowledge, the role of a structured improvisational comedy (improv) program in reducing distress and improving well-being has never been evaluated in the oncology setting.

Conditions

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Distress Breast Neoplasms Quality of Life

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Intervention

All participants in the study will participate a 6 week improv intervention.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Improvisational Comedy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

6 week curriculum in improvisational comedy. Each class meets for 1.5 hours for 6 consecutive weeks.

Interventions

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Improvisational Comedy

6 week curriculum in improvisational comedy. Each class meets for 1.5 hours for 6 consecutive weeks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Female, diagnosed with breast cancer stage 1-3 (no distant metastases)
* Completed cancer treatment (including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic treatment, and/or any combination) at least 1 month (30 days) from their last treatment and no more than 12 months (365 days) post-treatment. Long term hormonal/biologic treatments are ok.
* Female age ≥ 18
* Scores a at least 4/10 (≥4) on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer
* Agrees to complete study surveys
* Agrees to attend 6 improv classes
* English speaking
* Emotionally stable (per physician clearance) to participate in this series

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No