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Cultivating Resilience in Oncology Practice

Not Applicable
Conditions
Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms
Mental Health Issue
Depressive Symptoms
Childhood Cancer
Interventions
Behavioral: Awareness and insight Modules (AiM)
Registration Number
NCT04902313
Lead Sponsor
Linkoeping University
Brief Summary

The purpose of the CROP study is to investigate the potential to cultivate psychological resources and resilience in childhood cancer patients and their family members using a mobile phone-based intervention.

The feasibility study aims to evaluate the implementation and participant experience of the digital intervention and register psychological outcome measures preliminary evidence for its acceptability, feasibility, and potential beneficial effects.

Detailed Description

The feasibility study (CROP) will recruit 20 youths with newly diagnosed cancer (10-18 y) and family members for participation in a 12-week digital intervention to cultivate psychological resources.

Investigators will recruit an equal number of pediatric patients with other chronic conditions to an observational comparison group to indicate the influences on participation and outcome from the oncology care context.

Investigators will obtain informed consent from all participants. Upon inclusion in the study, participants will start getting a text message every day for 12 consecutive weeks. The texts will contain links to a digital platform on which participants will complete an exercise in either self-reflection or guided mindfulness meditation.

The psychological training program is based on 12 modules with evidence-based treatments in other medical contexts and age groups. The practices are based on acceptance, commitment, re-appraisal, meaning and purpose, expressive writing, narrative processes, mindfulness, compassion, equanimity, and gratitude. The combination of practices and the implementation in pediatric oncology has not been studied earlier.

The cancer patients will be recruited during the first month after diagnosis, meet with an instructor during 2-4 start-up meetings, and thereafter practice on their own or with participating family members.

The pediatric patients with chronic diseases will be recruited during a follow-up visit to an out-patient clinic and meet with an instructor during 2-4 start-up meetings, and thereafter practice on their own or together with participating family members.

Investigators will address the primary research question of the feasibility of the intervention by investigating participant activity data, written evaluations of the experience of participation, and through phone interviews of participants.

Secondary research questions, such as preliminary data on changes in mental health and psychological distress, will be investigated with self-report questionnaires.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • Newly diagnosed cancer
  • Chronic pediatric disease
Exclusion Criteria
  • Severe crisis reaction
  • Late-stage palliative care
  • Severe intellectual disability
  • Psychiatric disease hindrance
  • Participation in other study with psychological intervention

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Cancer patientsAwareness and insight Modules (AiM)Youths (10-18 y) with newly diagnosed cancer, as well as their family members.
Pediatric patientsAwareness and insight Modules (AiM)Youths (10-18 y) with a chronic somatic disease receiving care at a pediatric outpatient facility.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF)At 12-month after completion of the trial.

14 items. Score (min-max): 0-70. A high score indicates mental well-being.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)At 12-month after completion of the trial.

25 items. Score (min-max): 0-25. A high score indicate psychiatric difficulties.

Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS)At 12-month after completion of the trial.

25 items. Score (min-max): 0-75. A high score indicates symptoms of anxiety and depression.

System Usability Scale (SUS)After completion of the 12 week trial.

10 items. Score (min-max): 10-50. A high score indicates a high level of usability.

Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale Short form (RCADS-SF)At the beginning of the trial.

25 items. Score (min-max): 0-75. A high score indicates symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Strenghs and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)After 12 weeks of participation in the trial.

25 items. Score (min-max): 0-25. A high score indicates psychiatric difficulties.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

H.K.H. Crown Princess Victoria Children's Hospital, Linköping University Hospital, Sweden

🇸🇪

Linköping, Sweden

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