Pilot Study of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workshop for Distress and Decision Making in Early Stage Prostate Cancer in Veterans

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common type of cancer in men and the second leading cause of death in American men. Those diagnosed with localized prostate cancer encounter three sources of psychological distress: 1) diagnosis itself, 2) treatment decision making, and 3) the often life-altering side effects of treatment. In addition, patients who choose to undergo active surveillance which focuses on monitoring cancer in lieu of treatment, experience distress related to living with cancer. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an established psychosocial intervention that has been used extensively for mental health treatment and has shown benefits for various chronic conditions. ACT is a behavioral intervention that focuses on tolerating distress and improving function. This pilot study is designed to test the feasibility of ACT for distress reduction and improved quality of life in patients recently diagnosed with early-stage, localized PCa.