Background
Objectives
Methods
Sample/study design
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Instruments
Intervention
Procedure
Procedure (time) | Assessment instruments | |
---|---|---|
Day 0 | Briefing (10) | Informed written consent |
Day 1 | Assessment of psychological parameters (questionnaires) (15–25) | State-Trait-Cheerfulness (STCI-S and T), life satisfaction (SWLS), stress |
Assessment of medical parameters (5–10) | Burden of symptoms (MIDOS), oxytocin level, ECOG | |
1st humour intervention (20–30) | Standardized non-participant observation (notes, “questionnaire” humour coaches, start and ending time) | |
Assessment of the impact of the intervention (5–10) | STCI-S − oxytocin level | |
Day 3 | Assessment of psychological parameters (questionnaires) (15–25) | STCI-S and T, SWLS, stress − MIDOS, oxytocin level |
2nd humour intervention (20–30) | Same as 1st humour intervention | |
Assessment of the impact of the intervention (5–10) | STCI-S, SWLS, stress + MIDOS, oxytocin level |
Analyses
Results
Sample
Missing values
Group comparisons
Test for equality of means | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | SD | T | df | p | ||
Life satisfaction | Intervention | 20.24 | 7.94 | 0.70 | 48 | 0.483 |
Control | 18.72 | 7.24 | ||||
Stress | Intervention | 5.11 | 2.95 | − 0.86 | 38 | 0.397 |
Control | 5.84 | 2.44 | ||||
Symptom burden | Intervention | 19.41 | 6.28 | − 0.32 | 30 | 0.751 |
Control | 20.07 | 5.12 | ||||
ECOG | Intervention | 2.95 | 1.12 | 0.42 | 52 | 0.674 |
Control | 2.84 | 0.77 | ||||
Cheerfulness trait | Intervention | 32.22 | 6.77 | 0.30 | 43 | 0.761 |
Control | 31.59 | 6.96 | ||||
Seriousness trait | Intervention | 30.38 | 6.08 | − 0.29 | 45 | 0.769 |
Control | 30.91 | 6.39 | ||||
Bad mood trait | Intervention | 21.13 | 7.01 | − 0.57 | 46 | 0.568 |
Control | 22.50 | 9.39 | ||||
Cheerfulness state | Intervention | 11.53 | 4.81 | 0.04 | 53 | 0.969 |
Control | 11.48 | 4.62 | ||||
Seriousness state | Intervention | 16.96 | 4.11 | 0.13 | 53 | 0.895 |
Control | 16.81 | 4.23 | ||||
Bad mood state | Intervention | 13.24 | 5.56 | 1.45 | 53 | 0.152 |
Control | 11.22 | 4.67 |
Squares | df | Mean Squares | F | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life satisfaction | Between groups | 28.87 | 1 | 28.87 | 0.50 | 0.483 |
In groups | 2769.60 | 48 | 57.70 | |||
Stress | Between groups | 5.27 | 1 | 5.26 | 0.74 | 0.397 |
In groups | 272.46 | 38 | 7.16 | |||
Symptom burden | Between groups | 3.42 | 1 | 3.47 | 0.10 | 0.751 |
In groups | 1001.04 | 30 | 33.37 | |||
ECOG | Between groups | 0.16 | 1 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.674 |
In groups | 48.36 | 52 | 0.92 | |||
Cheerfulness state | Between groups | 0.03 | 1 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.969 |
In groups | 1180.55 | 53 | 22.27 | |||
Seriousness state | Between groups | 0.30 | 1 | 0.30 | 0.02 | 0.895 |
In groups | 927.04 | 53 | 17.48 | |||
Bad mood state | Between groups | 55.90 | 1 | 55.90 | 2.12 | 0.152 |
In groups | 1400.58 | 53 | 26.42 |
M | SD | t | df | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life satisfaction | Before | 19.78 | 6.92 | 0.00 | 17 | 1.000 |
After | 19.78 | 6.87 | ||||
Stress | Before | 5.56 | 2.55 | − 0.20 | 16 | 0.835 |
After | 5.59 | 2.51 | ||||
Symptom burden | Before | 20.67 | 5.98 | 0.96 | 8 | 0.366 |
After | 20.11 | 6.40 | ||||
Cheerfulness | Before | 11.14 | 4.33 | 0.76 | 20 | 0.452 |
After | 11.00 | 4.30 | ||||
Seriousness | Before | 16.90 | 4.48 | 0.37 | 20 | 0.706 |
After | 16.76 | 4.54 | ||||
Bad mood | Before | 11.00 | 4.62 | − 1.27 | 20 | 0.219 |
After | 11.57 | 5.06 |
M | SD | t | df | p | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Life satisfaction | Before | 19.94 | 7.35 | 1.63 | 15 | 0.123 |
After | 18.56 | 7.09 | ||||
Stress | Before | 5.55 | 2.90 | 2.40 | 10 | 0.037* |
After | 3.41 | 2.63 | ||||
Symptom burden | Before | 19.80 | 7.35 | 1.72 | 9 | 0.120 |
After | 18.30 | 5.89 | ||||
Cheerfulness | Before | 11.49 | 4.23 | − 4.06 | 19 | 0.001** |
After | 15.80 | 5.40 | ||||
Seriousness | Before | 16.45 | 4.60 | 2.90 | 19 | 0.009* |
After | 13.10 | 4.02 | ||||
Bad mood | Before | 13.35 | 5.51 | 3.11 | 19 | 0.006* |
After | 9.95 | 4.43 |