The effect of the bonny method of guided imagery and music on the mood and life quality of cancer patients

Abstract

Cancer patients continue to experience elevated levels of emotional distress, even after cancer treatment. Elevated emotional distress negatively impacts immune and endocrine functions and decreases life quality. This study explored the effectiveness of GIM in alleviating mood disturbance and improving quality of life in cancer patients. Eight volunteers with a cancer history were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a wait-list control group. Experimental subjects individually participated in 10 weekly GIM sessions. All subjects completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Quality of Life-Cancer (QOL-CA) questionnaires pretest, posttest, and at a 6-week follow-up. Individuals who participated in GIM sessions scored better on both mood scores and quality of life scores at posttest than those participating in the control group. Additionally, mood and quality of life scores continued to improve in the experimental group, even after sessions were complete. Results indicate that GIM was effective in improving mood and quality of life in these cancer patients.