A Pilot Study of a Brief Pre-Operative Intervention for Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery

This study is to assess the feasibility of using a positive activities intervention, Positive Piggy Bank, in newly diagnosed women with breast cancer who will soon undergo surgery. A randomized controlled pilot trial of a brief self-guided positive activities intervention, The Positive Piggy Bank (PPB), compared to Treatment as Usual. The PPB intervention involves noting at least one positive event each day, writing it down on a slip of paper and then depositing this piece of paper in a piggy bank. This practice is to take place at the end of the day, every day over a circumscribed period of time. At the end of the "deposit period," in the case of this study after approximately 21 days, the participant "closes the account" and makes a full withdrawal by taking all of the slips out of the piggy bank and reading each one on the night before surgery.

Sex

Female

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Recent diagnosis of breast cancer with pending surgery as primary treatment for breast cancer.
2. Ages 18 and above.
3. Able to read/understand English and give consent.
4. Willing and able to comply with all aspects of study procedures.
5. No plan to initiate a new program that could affect well-being during the study period (e.g., psychotherapy, new exercise regimen, meditation classes).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Planned neoadjuvant systemic therapy.
2. Having a psychotic disorder or the presence of another psychiatric condition (e.g., severe depression \[i.e., score on the PHQ-9\], suicidal ideation) or cognitive impairment (e.g., severe dyslexia, traumatic brain injury) limiting ability to give consent and/or participate fully in the study.
3. Other factors that at the discretion of the investigators would adversely affect study.