Working with the HealthEmotions Research Institute, a division of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Breast Cancer Recovery has sought to quantify the psychosocial changes in women who attend an Infinite Boundaries retreat. Funding for this research has been received from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation® and the Pfeiffer Foundation. Preliminary results are promising: most notably that the retreats are associated with both immediate and subsequent psychosocial health benefits. Through detailed questionnaires, researchers assessed participants’ mood, social support, coping, general functioning, and overall quality of life. Baseline psychosocial measures were obtained two weeks prior to the retreat; assessments were made immediately following the retreat and at three, six, and twelve months post-retreat. Preliminary data suggest retreat participation results in significant improvements in body image, significant increases in positive affect, and significant decreases in both negative affect and anxiety among retreat participants. Reported depressive symptoms, while not reaching the level of statistical significance, were lower as well. In addition, retreatants report significant improvement in self-image, general well being, and functional well-being.

Infinite Boundaries Retreats: Participation in a Three Day Retreat Attenuates Depression and Anxiety in Women with Breast Cancer

Because of its life-threatening nature, breast cancer research has primarily focused on basic science and clinical treatments (e.g., bone marrow transplantation), while the mortality rates associated with breast cancer have remained remarkably stable for the past 20 years (American Cancer Society, 1999). While the disease itself is difficult to cope with, the debilitating treatments further assault the quality of life for survivors. Many studies have documented the deterioration in quality of life that occur to cancer patients in general and breast cancer patients specifically (see Andersen, Kiecolt-Glaser, & Glaser, 1994 and De Haes & Van Knippenberg, 1996 for excellent reviews). Improving the quality of life during survival has only recently been addressed.

In a research study conducted by Teresa Woods, Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation, it was shown that participation in a three-day retreat called “Infinite Boundaries” could improve positive affect, significantly reduce anxiety, and reduce symptoms of depression in women attending the retreat versus those women in the control group.

Participants in the study totaled 109 women—of that group 56 participated in the “Infinite Boundaries Retreat,” while 53 were matched controls. All symptoms were measured using standardized psychosocial tests administered pre and post intervention. The author hypothesized that positive effects were likely related to the expansion of the women’s social support network, the intensity of the experience and the nature of the discussions which took place in the retreat. Spiegel (1995) had earlier identified specific components to be effective interventions for cancer patients, including emotional expression, cognitive restructuring, detoxification of death, and education (all components of the “Infinite Boundaries Retreat”). Problem-solving behavior has also been shown to be effective in buffering psychological stress–for women with breast cancer new problems emerge beyond the near death experience related to self-image and sexual relationships—topics covered during the retreats. The retreats are designed to allow women an opportunity to discuss difficult life situations in a supportive and problem-solving environment.

While more research is needed to more clearly delineate the mechanisms by which participation in the retreat reduces symptoms and enhances positive affect, this study clearly shows that women who attend an “Infinite Boundaries Retreat” have better psychological outcomes than those who experience breast cancer recovery without this intervention.

References:
Andersen, B.L., Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K. & Glaser, R. (1994). A biobehavioral model of cancer stress and disease course. American Psychologist, 49, 389-404.

DeHaes, J.C. & Van Knippenberg, F.C. (1983). The quality of life of cancer patients: A review of the literature. Social Science and Medicine, 20 (8): 809-817.

Speigel, D. (1995). Psychosocial influences on cancer survival. In Stein, M., Baum A., et al (eds). Chronic Diseases: Perspectives in Behavioral Medicine. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc

Summary by:
Barbara A. Rudolph, Ph.D.
Board Member
Breast Cancer Recovery

Dr. Rudolph is the Director, Leaps and Measures, The Leapfrog Group. The Leapfrog Group’s mission is the improvement of patient safety and quality of care in hospitals and other healthcare settings.