Compassionate expressive writing for people living with and beyond cancer.
Official title: The Therapeutic Effect of Expressive Writing in People Living With and Beyond Cancer.
Run by Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust · NCT07567157 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether compassionate expressive writing, compared with standard expressive writing, can help people living with and beyond cancer increase body compassion, self-compassion, and overall well-being.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Truro, Cornwall) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 22, 2025 |
| Main results expected | May 2026 |
| Study ends | May 2026 |
| Registry record updated | May 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07567157 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18 or older who have experienced internal or external body changes from cancer or its treatment, can read and write English, can provide informed consent, and can commit to a four-week writing program are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with very high distress or unstable mental or physical health that makes participation unsafe, those unable to commit to four weeks, or those unable to provide informed consent are unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults who have experienced body changes related to cancer or its treatment complete pre-intervention questionnaires and are assigned to one of two writing conditions. Participants attend four expressive writing sessions and write freely for about 20 minutes per session on topics related to their cancer experience, with one group receiving compassionate prompts and the other receiving standard prompts. Researchers compare pre- and post-intervention self-reported measures including body compassion, self-compassion, quality of life, and psychological well-being. The trial focuses on whether adding a compassionate framing enhances benefits already observed with expressive writing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, compassionate expressive writing could offer a low-cost, easy-to-deliver way to improve body compassion, self-compassion, and psychological well-being for people affected by cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Expressive writing and compassion-based interventions have shown benefits for mood and quality of life in past studies, but targeting 'body compassion' specifically in people with cancer is a relatively new approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * To have experienced an internal or external change to their body due to any form of cancer and/or its treatment at any point in their lives. * To be 18 or older. * The ability to read and write in English. * To have the ability to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Distress levels that make participation safe or inappropriate due to cancer prognosis or a mental health condition. (This is flagged by the score on the IES questionnaire.) * Inability to realistically commit to a 4-week intervention due to poor physical or mental health or other personal commitments. * Inability to provide informed consent.
Where it's running
-
Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust
Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Ariane Scalpello — Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, University of Plymouth
- Study coordinator: Ariane Scalpello, Doctoral
- Email: ariane.scalpello@plymouth.ac.uk
- Phone: +44 7538158711
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.