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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Jul 12;32(7):400.
doi: 10.3390/curroncol32070400.

Effects of Gratitude Journaling on Patients with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Minjeong You  1 , Eunjung Kim  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Gratitude Journaling on Patients with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Minjeong You et al. Curr Oncol. .

Abstract

Gratitude journaling is a simple and effective way to improve emotional well-being. However, its impact on people with breast cancer in South Korea has not been clearly understood. This study explored how writing a gratitude journal can help patients with breast cancer feel more grateful, resilient, and satisfied with life. Sixty patients from a university hospital in Jeollanam-do were randomly assigned to either a gratitude journaling group or a control group. The journaling group received guidance and wrote at least ten journal entries over three weeks, with weekly phone check-ins. The control group received no intervention. Before and after the program, the participants completed surveys. The results showed that those who kept gratitude journals had higher levels of gratitude, resilience, and quality of life than those who did not. These findings suggest that gratitude journaling can be a valuable and easy-to-use nursing strategy to support the emotional health of breast cancer patients.

Keywords: breast cancer; gratitude; journaling; nursing intervention.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure and contents of gratitude journaling.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CONSORT2017 participant flow diagram with response rates.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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