Goal pursuit mediates effects of a gratitude intervention on death-related fear of recurrence in breast cancer survivors

Laurenceau, Jean-PhilippeOne of the most prevalent and distressing concerns endorsed by breast cancer survivors is fear of cancer recurrence (FOR), and one of the most salient facets is the worry that a recurrence of cancer could cause one's death. The primary goal of the present study was to test the effects of a brief gratitude intervention on overall FOR and death-related FOR, with pursuit of meaningful goals examined as a potential mediator. Positive affect (PA) was also examined as both an outcome of the intervention and as a mediator of observed effects of the intervention on FOR. Sixty-seven women with early-stage breast cancer were randomly assigned to either a six-week online gratitude intervention or a six-week online control condition. Although the intervention did not predict changes in overall FOR, results revealed that patients in the gratitude intervention experienced a significant decrease in death-related FOR compared to the control condition. Moreover, this effect was partially mediated by goal pursuit. The gratitude intervention was also found to prevent a decline in PA observed in the control condition; however, PA did not mediate the effects of the intervention on death-related FOR. Overall, findings support the notion that gratitude promotes psychological adaptation to cancer by promoting the pursuit of meaningful goals and subsequently reducing death-related FOR.University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesM.A