Randomized controlled trial of a group intervention combining self-hypnosis and self-care: secondary results on self-esteem, emotional distress and regulation, and mindfulness in post-treatment cancer patients
Charlotte Grégoire, Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Guy Jerusalem, Sylvie Willems, Isabelle Bragard
Quality of Life Research October 6, 2020 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-020-02655-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 95 |
| Population | Post-treatment cancer patients (women) |
| Interventions | self-hypnosis self-care |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Clinical psychology Intervention counseling Self-esteem Emotional distress |
| Citations | 25 |
| Registration | NCT03144154 |
| Key findings | A group intervention combining self-hypnosis and self-care improved self-esteem, emotional distress, emotion regulation, and mindfulness in post-treatment cancer patients, with mindfulness gains explaining much of the improvement. |
Abstract
Purpose: Cancer patients often report low self-esteem and high emotional distress. Two factors seem particularly linked to these symptoms: emotion regulation strategies and mindfulness. The interest of hypnosis and self-care to relieve these symptoms is not well documented. Our randomized controlled trial aimed at assessing the effect of a group intervention combining self-hypnosis and self-care on self-esteem, emotional distress, emotion regulation, and mindfulness abilities of post-treatment cancer patients, as well as investigating the links between these variables.
Methods: One hundred and four patients who had suffered from cancer were randomized into the intervention group (N = 52) and the wait-list control group (N = 52). They had to answer questionnaires before (T1) and after the intervention (T2). Nine men were excluded from the analyses, leading to a final sample of 95 women with cancer. Group-by-time changes were assessed with MANOVA, and associations with self-esteem and emotional distress were investigated with hierarchical linear regression models.
Results: Participants in the intervention group (mean age = 51.65; SD = 12.54) reported better self-esteem, lower emotional distress, a decreased use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and more mindfulness abilities after the intervention, compared to the WLCG. This increase in mindfulness explained 33% of the improvement of self-esteem and 41.6% of the decrease of emotional distress in the intervention group. Self-esteem and emotional distress also predicted each other.
Conclusion: Our study showed the efficacy of our hypnosis-based intervention to improve all the investigated variables. Mindfulness predicted the improvement of self-esteem and emotional distress. The primary impact of our intervention on mindfulness abilities seems to explain, at least in part, its efficacy.
Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03144154). Retrospectively registered on the 1st of May, 2017.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Complementary health practice review April 1, 2008
- The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Affective Symptoms: A Meta-analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) Clinical Psychology Review November 11, 2019
- Dispositional Mindfulness and Psychological Health: a Systematic Review Mindfulness July 1, 2017
- Mindfulness-based interventions for coping with cancer. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 2016
and 2 more in the library