{"id":{"repo_id":"reykjavik","oai_identifier":"oai:skemman.is:1946/31669"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/reykjavik/oai:skemman.is:1946/31669","repository":{"repo_id":"reykjavik","name":"Reykjavík University","base_url":"https://skemman.is/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Expressive writing intervention among newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: Effectiveness on distress and intrusive thoughts and social constraints as a moderator","abstract":"Prostate cancer (PCA) diagnosis can be a stressful experience that increases general distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and intrusive thoughts, although distress varies between individuals. The aim of this randomized control study was to determine whether expressive writing intervention (EWI) would decrease general distress and intrusive thoughts about cancer. In addition, it was tested whether patients that felt social constraints in expressing their emotions about their cancer benefitted more from the EWI than those that did not experience such constraints. A sample of 73 newly diagnosed PCA patients were randomly assigned to write for 20 minutes on 3 writing days, either about their emotions regarding the cancer (EWI group) or a neutral topic (control group). General distress, intrusive thoughts and social constraint were assessed at baseline and general distress and intrusive thoughts were assessed again three and six months following the EWI. Results from repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the EWI did not decrease depression, anxiety or intrusive thoughts. EWI was beneficial for those high on social constrain in reducing intrusive thoughts regarding the cancer. The results indicate that those who perceive their social environment to be constraint could benefit from the EWI in reducing intrusive thoughts and therefore gain a better psychological adjustment to the cancer diagnoses. Keywords: Prostate cancer, expressive writing, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, social constrain","abstract_html":"Prostate cancer (PCA) diagnosis can be a stressful experience that increases general distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and intrusive thoughts, although distress varies between individuals. The aim of this randomized control study was to determine whether expressive writing intervention (EWI) would decrease general distress and intrusive thoughts about cancer. In addition, it was tested whether patients that felt social constraints in expressing their emotions about their cancer benefitted more from the EWI than those that did not experience such constraints. A sample of 73 newly diagnosed PCA patients were randomly assigned to write for 20 minutes on 3 writing days, either about their emotions regarding the cancer (EWI group) or a neutral topic (control group). General distress, intrusive thoughts and social constraint were assessed at baseline and general distress and intrusive thoughts were assessed again three and six months following the EWI. Results from repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the EWI did not decrease depression, anxiety or intrusive thoughts. EWI was beneficial for those high on social constrain in reducing intrusive thoughts regarding the cancer. The results indicate that those who perceive their social environment to be constraint could benefit from the EWI in reducing intrusive thoughts and therefore gain a better psychological adjustment to the cancer diagnoses. Keywords: Prostate cancer, expressive writing, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, social constrain","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Anna Sigríður Siemsen 1989-"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Háskólinn í Reykjavík"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-08-22T13:31:21Z","date_published":"2018-08-22T13:31:21Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T20:38:54Z","subjects":["Sálfræði","Blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein","Þunglyndi","Psychology","Prostate cancer","Depression"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1946/31669","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Háskólinn í Reykjavík"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Anna Sigríður Siemsen 1989-"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Sálfræði","Blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein","Þunglyndi","Psychology","Prostate cancer","Depression"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1946/31669"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Prostate cancer (PCA) diagnosis can be a stressful experience that increases general distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and intrusive thoughts, although distress varies between individuals. The aim of this randomized control study was to determine whether expressive writing intervention (EWI) would decrease general distress and intrusive thoughts about cancer. In addition, it was tested whether patients that felt social constraints in expressing their emotions about their cancer benefitted more from the EWI than those that did not experience such constraints. A sample of 73 newly diagnosed PCA patients were randomly assigned to write for 20 minutes on 3 writing days, either about their emotions regarding the cancer (EWI group) or a neutral topic (control group). General distress, intrusive thoughts and social constraint were assessed at baseline and general distress and intrusive thoughts were assessed again three and six months following the EWI. Results from repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the EWI did not decrease depression, anxiety or intrusive thoughts. EWI was beneficial for those high on social constrain in reducing intrusive thoughts regarding the cancer. The results indicate that those who perceive their social environment to be constraint could benefit from the EWI in reducing intrusive thoughts and therefore gain a better psychological adjustment to the cancer diagnoses. Keywords: Prostate cancer, expressive writing, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, social constrain","Að greinast með blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein (BHKK) getur verið erfið reynsla sem eykur almenna streitu og ágengar hugsanir varðandi krabbameinið, hinsvegar er mikill breytileiki á milli einstaklinga. Markmið þessarar handahófskenndu íhlutunarrannsóknar var að rannsaka hvort skrifleg tjáning (ST) myndi draga úr almennri streitu og fækka ágengum hugsunum. Einnig var athugað hvort þeir sem upplifa sig hamlaða í að tjá tilfinningar sínar varðandi krabbameinið við aðra myndu heldur njóta góðs af ST heldur en þeir sem upplifa sig ekki hamlaða í að tjá sig. Þátttakendur voru 73 nýlega greindir með með BHKK sem skrifuðu í 20 mínútur á þremur dögum, um tilfinningar sínar varðandi krabbameinið (tilraunahópur) eða um hlutlaust efni (samanburðarhópur). Almenn streita, ágengar hugsanir og félagslegar hömlur voru mældar á grunnlínu og almenn streita og ágengar hugsanir mældar aftur í þriggja- og sex mánaða eftirfylgni. Snið endurtekinna mælinga sýndi að ST minnkaði ekki streitu né ágengar hugsanir. Hinsvegar var íhlutunin gagnleg þeim sem upplifðu sig félagslega hamlaða, í að draga úr ágengum hugsunum varðandi krabbameinið. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að ST geti verið gagnlega þeim sem upplifa félagslega umhverfið sitt hamlandi og þar af leiðandi aðlagast betur að greiningunni. Lykilorð: blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein, skrifleg tjáning, þunglyndi, kvíði, ágengar hugsanir, félagslegar hömlur"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Expressive writing intervention among newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: Effectiveness on distress and intrusive thoughts and social constraints as a moderator"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Háskólinn í Reykjavík"],"dc:creator":["Anna Sigríður Siemsen 1989-"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2018-08-22T13:31:21Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Prostate cancer (PCA) diagnosis can be a stressful experience that increases general distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and intrusive thoughts, although distress varies between individuals. The aim of this randomized control study was to determine whether expressive writing intervention (EWI) would decrease general distress and intrusive thoughts about cancer. In addition, it was tested whether patients that felt social constraints in expressing their emotions about their cancer benefitted more from the EWI than those that did not experience such constraints. A sample of 73 newly diagnosed PCA patients were randomly assigned to write for 20 minutes on 3 writing days, either about their emotions regarding the cancer (EWI group) or a neutral topic (control group). General distress, intrusive thoughts and social constraint were assessed at baseline and general distress and intrusive thoughts were assessed again three and six months following the EWI. Results from repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the EWI did not decrease depression, anxiety or intrusive thoughts. EWI was beneficial for those high on social constrain in reducing intrusive thoughts regarding the cancer. The results indicate that those who perceive their social environment to be constraint could benefit from the EWI in reducing intrusive thoughts and therefore gain a better psychological adjustment to the cancer diagnoses. Keywords: Prostate cancer, expressive writing, depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, social constrain","Að greinast með blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein (BHKK) getur verið erfið reynsla sem eykur almenna streitu og ágengar hugsanir varðandi krabbameinið, hinsvegar er mikill breytileiki á milli einstaklinga. Markmið þessarar handahófskenndu íhlutunarrannsóknar var að rannsaka hvort skrifleg tjáning (ST) myndi draga úr almennri streitu og fækka ágengum hugsunum. Einnig var athugað hvort þeir sem upplifa sig hamlaða í að tjá tilfinningar sínar varðandi krabbameinið við aðra myndu heldur njóta góðs af ST heldur en þeir sem upplifa sig ekki hamlaða í að tjá sig. Þátttakendur voru 73 nýlega greindir með með BHKK sem skrifuðu í 20 mínútur á þremur dögum, um tilfinningar sínar varðandi krabbameinið (tilraunahópur) eða um hlutlaust efni (samanburðarhópur). Almenn streita, ágengar hugsanir og félagslegar hömlur voru mældar á grunnlínu og almenn streita og ágengar hugsanir mældar aftur í þriggja- og sex mánaða eftirfylgni. Snið endurtekinna mælinga sýndi að ST minnkaði ekki streitu né ágengar hugsanir. Hinsvegar var íhlutunin gagnleg þeim sem upplifðu sig félagslega hamlaða, í að draga úr ágengum hugsunum varðandi krabbameinið. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að ST geti verið gagnlega þeim sem upplifa félagslega umhverfið sitt hamlandi og þar af leiðandi aðlagast betur að greiningunni. Lykilorð: blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein, skrifleg tjáning, þunglyndi, kvíði, ágengar hugsanir, félagslegar hömlur"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1946/31669"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["Sálfræði","Blöðruhálskirtilskrabbamein","Þunglyndi","Psychology","Prostate cancer","Depression"],"dc:title":["Expressive writing intervention among newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: Effectiveness on distress and intrusive thoughts and social constraints as a moderator"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T20:38:54Z"}