The effect of a therapeutic quality-of-life–based program on happiness in older women with breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies among older women and can adversely affect their psychological well-being, happiness, and overall quality of life. Happiness plays an important role as a key indicator of psychological well-being in patients’ adaptation to illness and health outcomes. Given the importance of supportive interventions for this population, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a therapeutic quality-of-life–based program on happiness among older women with breast cancer. This quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study with a control group was conducted in 2025 among 50 older women with breast cancer attending the chemotherapy unit of Peymanieh Educational Hospital in Jahrom, Iran. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and were then randomly allocated to either the intervention group or the control group ( n = 25 per group). Data were collected using a questionnaire on demographic characteristics and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The intervention group participated in an 8-week therapeutic quality-of-life–based educational program consisting of eight weekly 60-minute sessions, whereas the control group received routine care. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, chi-square test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were applied. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was observed in the mean happiness scores at baseline between the two groups ( p > 0.05). The mean happiness score in the intervention group significantly increased from 34.72 ± 9.20 to 44.84 ± 5.74 ( p < 0.001), whereas no significant change was observed in the control group ( p = 0.92). Furthermore, ANCOVA, which controlled for baseline happiness scores, confirmed a significantly higher post-intervention happiness score in the intervention group than in the control group ( p < 0.001). The therapeutic quality-of-life–based program appears to be an effective, low-cost, and feasible supportive intervention for enhancing happiness and promoting psychological adjustment among older women with breast cancer. Integrating such structured interventions into supportive care and educational services may improve psychosocial outcomes in this population. To evaluate the sustainability of the intervention effects, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are recommended.