title: Holistic healing for women with breast cancer through a mind, body, and spirit self-empowerment program.
abstract: This article reports results of an integrated mind-body-spirit self-empowerment program for breast cancer survivors. Fifty-one women at various stages of breast cancer completed a series of eclectic lessons offered in a support group format. The program followed an integrated and cumulative lesson plan that progressively and systematically introduced multiple strategies for creating a balance among mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. The program's goals were to enable participants to experience a reduction in distress, improve perceived quality of life, reach a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life, and experience a greater sense of perceived wellness. Self-assessments were obtained on four well-documented measures relating to both pre- and postprogram participation. Differences in pre- and postscores showed statistically significant improvement and large estimated effect sizes on all four measures. Participants' written comments provide examples of the scope and benefits of the program.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Medical Branch, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kinney
authors.forename: Denise M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: Christell O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Bray
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome