A Pilot Study To Assess Guidance in and Subsequent Use of Mind-Body Techniques on the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients

Aim: To answer the questions of whether a Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) skills group facilitated face-to-face and online can improve measures of Quality of Life (QOL) in a population of cancer patients. Value of Study: Technological advances have contributed to new venues for healthcare delivery. It is imperative that these new delivery methods, for individual and/or group psychosocial services are sufficiently tested and validated. Research shows that there is very little knowledge about differences in communication styles between online and face-to-face groups, nor is there much knowledge on the overall efficacy of online groups. Phenomenon Studied: Can MBM skills groups improve the quality of life of cancer patients? Is there a difference in outcome between a MBM skills group delivered face-to-face and a MBM skills group delivered online. Reasons Leading to Proposing the Project: Despite encouraging research showing that psychosocial interventions have positive effects in the lives of cancer patients, more research is needed due to several problems of current research, such as poor study design, lack of use of technological advances and relatively few existing studies on the effectiveness of MBM therapies in the oncological setting. Stated Hypothesis: Hypothesis 1: There is no difference between baseline QOL measures and QOL measures at the end of face-to-face facilitated MBM skills groups. Hypothesis 2: There is no difference between baseline QOL measures and QOL measures at the end of Online facilitated MBM skills groups. Hypothesis 3: Participation in either, online facilitated MBM skills groups or face-to-face facilitated MBM skills groups will improve QOL measures when compared to control group. Hypothesis 4: Patients in the control group (waitlist control, care as usual group) will have no improvement on QOL measures. Anticipated Value to the Larger Community: According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) "…ther