Old Disney films improve life quality of female cancer patients

Classic Disney movies like the Jungle Book and The Little Mermaid can help improve the quality of life for cancer patients going through chemotherapy, a study found. 

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna played female cancer patients Disney movies on portable DVD players during a controlled clinical trial. 

After six cycles of chemotherapy, patients watching Disney films felt less tense, irritable, depressed and worried compared with those in the control group.

The researchers found that the positive message from the movies and their happy endings helped to invoke a sense of wellbeing among the 25 volunteers. 

The new study follows earlier research that found 90 per cent of women undergoing cancer treatment said maintaining a positive attitude was crucial in coping. 

Classic Disney movies like the Jungle Book (pictured) and The Little Mermaid can help improve the quality of life for cancer patients going through chemotherapy, a study found

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna played female cancer patients Disney movies on portable DVD players during a controlled clinical trial

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna played female cancer patients Disney movies on portable DVD players during a controlled clinical trial

Lead author Dr Johannes Ott, from the university’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said the researchers picked Disney movies as they contain music and stories. 

‘In movies, music not only enhances the emotion of what is shown on the screen, but also can create impressions and emotions,’ Ott said.

The lead author added that the emotions ‘take the audience back in time to when they heard this music for the first time and so can help recall childhood memories.’

While research has been conducted into the distracting effect of music on the stress levels of cancer patients, scientists at the Medical University of Vienna decided to investigate the potential benefits of watching Disney classics.

‘Disney perfected the interaction of music and stories in his movies,’ said Ott.

‘In addition, studies have shown that watching Disney movies is associated with increased prosocial behaviour in children.’ 

There were 50 women involved in the study, 25 were played Disney movies and 25 were in a control group without a movie. The average age in the Disney group was 59 and in the control group they were 62 years. 

The researchers aimed to monitor their ’emotional and social functioning, perceived fatigue and global health status’, with the patients completing surveys at the end.

Eight films were available: Cinderella (1950), Lady and the Tramp (1955), The Sword in the Stone (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), The Jungle Book (1967), Aristocats (1970), Robin Hood (1973), and The Little Mermaid (1989).

Dr Ott said: ‘We deliberately chose older movies because they were more likely to evoke memories of the past and have a slower storyline than newer Disney movies.’

All the movies they picked are about strong main characters who are curious, faithful and brave – they all have ‘high moral values and a happy ending’. 

Movies with sadder scenes, like Dumbo and Bambi, were excluded from the list. 

After six cycles of chemotherapy, patients watching Disney films felt less tense, irritable, depressed and worried compared with those in the control group

After six cycles of chemotherapy, patients watching Disney films felt less tense, irritable, depressed and worried compared with those in the control group

The researchers aimed to monitor their 'emotional and social functioning, perceived fatigue and global health status', with the patients completing surveys at the end

The researchers aimed to monitor their ’emotional and social functioning, perceived fatigue and global health status’, with the patients completing surveys at the end

The researchers estimated the ’emotional functioning score’ of the Disney viewers as 86.9, versus 66.3 for those who went without a movie.

‘Because watching Disney movies might take the patients’ minds off their treatment, this could explain the increase in emotional functioning scores,’ authors wrote. 

They also discovered that watching the movies made patients feel less helpless, as it lessened symptoms of fatigue – like exhaustion, tiredness and frustration.

‘In addition to providing distraction, it is interesting to note that Disney movies tell stories of surmounting difficulties without necessarily resolving them,’ said Ott.

‘They are more about accepting change than about heroically overcoming all odds. The stories tend to have a happy ending, but usually a bittersweet one.

‘There is drama and sadness and, eventually, things improve. However, the true victory of the characters is their personal growth.

‘Frequently, characters mature and become adults. This transition is often painful and difficult, but when it is resolved, things get better.’

He said the findings suggest that watching Disney movies during chemo treatment is ‘associated with improved emotional functioning, social functioning, and fatigue status in patients with gynaecological cancer.

The findings, published in JAMA Network Open.