The advice to watch a Disney movie was inspired by a recent scientific study we read. That’s right, it was even written up in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). And it wasn’t just any old study, it was a randomized clinical trial which is considered the gold standard in research.
For this study, which was conducted in Vienna, Austria, 50 women over the age of 18 diagnosed with gynecological cancers were randomly assigned to either watch a Disney movie during chemotherapy or no movie. All of the women received a six-week course of chemotherapy. The main outcomes that the researchers looked at were quality of life and fatigue because chemotherapy is notorious at negatively impacting both.
What the researchers found is amazing. The women who watched the movies felt less tense and worried compared to the women who didn’t watch the movies. In addition, the movie watchers had far fewer fatigue symptoms. Based on completed questionnaires, the movie watchers also had significant improvements in emotional and social functioning compared to the non-movie watchers.
What we love about this study is that it helps illustrate a key foundational aspect of the iTHRIVE Plan: when we take small, simple steps, it can have a huge impact. This reminds us of the story of Norman Cousins who helped fend off the pain of his illness by watching funny shows and laughing as much as possible.
Whether it’s a Disney movie or comedy shows, during these difficult times, we all need to find small actions that can add up to help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety we feel. It’s great that science can help remind us of this important fact.
Stay well and stay safe.
—Karolyn and Lise
Reference: Pils S, Ott J, Reinthaller A, et al. Effect of viewing Disney movies during chemotherapy on self-reported quality of life among patients with gynecologic cancers: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(5).