Studies

Project Listing

The Metastatic Project

Aim

To examine the emotional expression and emotional resonance to specific topic discussions in supportive-expressive group therapy for women with metastatic breast cancer who were part of a randomized clinical trial examining the effect of group therapy on survival. Goals included examining the effect of behavior in the groups on change in physiology, emotional well-being, and survival.

Funding

2000-2005
Co-Investigator for competing renewal NIMH Sponsored Grant: Effects of Psychosocial Treatment on Cancer Survival ($2,000,116 competitive renewal of a randomized trial of supportive-expressive group therapy): Emotion Coding of Videotaped Group Psychotherapy. David Spiegel, M.D. P.I.
1996-1998
Wrote and was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship as a part of larger John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Mind/Body Network Grant: The Impact of Emotional Expression on Social Support and Group Interaction in Metastatic Breast Cancer Support Groups. Mentor: David Spiegel, M.D. Stanford School of Medicine
1995-1997

Wrote and was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant from the Breast Cancer Research Program of California: Does Change in Emotional Expression Mediate Cancer Survival?
Principal Investigator: Janine Giese-Davis, Ph.D. 
Mentor: David Spiegel, M.D. Stanford University School of Medicine


Publications

The Wellness Study

Aim

This study evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of two community-based support group interventions for breast cancer patients (The Wellness (TWC) and Cancer Support (CSC) Communities, in the San Francisco area). We compared them with a type of therapy developed in the university setting (Stanford’s Supportive-Expressive group therapy), studied which aspects are most effective, and who benefits the most.

We compared these women on change in emotional distress, means of coping with cancer, and social and family support. In addition, change in physiological response to stress was measured using saliva samples. We also examined the role of emotional expression and topic discussions in distinguishing the group styles and response to treatment.

We also examined coded emotional expression from videotape with transcripts of these group sessions to determine whether information is lost when going to a text-only format. We also compared the emotional expression in the TWC videotapes with TWC Online synchronous groups.

Funding

2001-2004

Consultant for Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant: Effectiveness of Internet vs. Face-to-Face Support Groups ($500,000 3-year randomized Community/Research Collaboration) Mort Lieberman, Ph.D. and Mitch Golant, Ph.D. P.I.s

1998-2002
Lead Writer and Co-Investigator/Project Director for Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant: Do Community Cancer Support Groups Reduce Physiological Stress? ($500,000 3-year randomized Community/Research Collaboration): David Spiegel, M.D. P.I.
1999-2000
Co-Investigator for Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant: Effectiveness of Electronic Support Groups for Breast Cancer. ($100,000 1-year pilot Idea Grant) Morton Lieberman, Ph.D. and Mitch Golant, Ph.D. P.I.s


Publications/Presentations

The Peer Navigatior Study

Aim

We conducted both an observational study and a clinical trial of a 6-month peer-counseling intervention testing outcomes for both newly diagnosed women (Sojourners) and peer counselors (Navigators) as a first step toward the goal of validating a peer navigator program.

We videotaped an initial listening/disclosing exercise for the peer counselors during their training session, and continued to code this exercise over time throughout the clinical trial. Our goals were to examine whether a particular type of emotional expression during listening or disclosing about themselves would be related to outcomes for themselves and their Sojourners.

Funding

2001-2006
Lead Writer and Co-Investigator for Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant: Does a Peer Navigator Improve Quality of Life at Diagnosis? ($500,000 5-year randomized Community/Research Collaboration) David Spiegel, M.D. P.I.
2000-2001
Lead writer and Co-Investigator/Project Director Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant: Does a Peer Navigator Improve Quality of Life at Diagnosis?  ($100,000 1-year pilot Community/Research Collaboration). David Spiegel, M.D. P.I.


Publications/Presentations

Trier Social Stress Task

Aim

As part of a large program project grant, "Stress, the HPA, and Health in Aging," http://stressandhealth.stanford.edu/, a Trier Social Stress Task was conducted in which participants from 2 studies were asked to undergo as social stressor while we examined their physiological response and videotaped their performance. These participants were from a study of metastatic breast cancer patients and of men and women who were depressed and at risk for cardiovascular disease conducted by C. Barr Taylor. Our goal in videotaping was to examine whether emotional expression was related to the physiological function of participants.

Funding

2001-2006
Co-Investigator for N.I.A./N.C.I Sponsored Diurnal Cortisol, and Breast Cancer Survival and Research Coordinator  for N.I.A./N.C.I. Program Project Grant: Stress, the HPA, and Health in Aging. ($8,000,000) Program Project. David Spiegel, M.D. P.I.


Publications/Presentations

Shame and Guilt

Aim

Our goals in this study were to examine whether we self-conscious emotions are important in the recovery of women with breast cancer. We also wanted to transfer a technology for coding shame and embarrassment to our system and wanted to examine whether there other facial, body, voice, and content cues for shame, guilt, embarrassment, and pride that are important in the naturalistic conversation of these women?

Funding

2003-2005
Principal Investigator for Breast Cancer Research Program of California Grant Assessing the Impact of Shame and Guilt in Recovery? ($100,000 1 1/2 year-IDEA Grant) David Spiegel, M.D. CO-P.I.


Publications/Presentations

Marital Interaction

Aim

Our goals in this study were to conduct a randomized trial of a combination of mindfulness meditation, Tibetan compassion training, and emotion modules created by Paul Ekman, Ph.D. in a population of teachers.

The coding lab's role in this study was to code the emotional expression of the women participants while they participated in a marital interaction task to discuss disagreements in their relationship before and after receiving the intervention which will be compared with the marital interaction of the women in the wait-list control group.

The aim is to see whether behavior can change after this intervention in the emotionally difficult situation of arguing with a romantic partner.

Funding

2002-2006
Consultant for Fetzer Grant: Cultivating Emotional Balance In Challenging Times,  Margaret E. Kemeny, Ph.D. and Paul Ekman, P.I.s. My lab is conducting the emotion coding of the marital interaction task within this randomized study. My role is as consultant and lead writer of articles coming from analysis of this task