Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Parents of Children With Cancer

NCT ID: NCT04870697

Last Updated: 2021-08-02

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

142 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-06-28

Study Completion Date

2022-01-31

Brief Summary

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The current study aims to develop a theoretically driven ACT intervention and examine its effects among parents of children with cancer. The objectives are:

1. To examine the effects of ACT intervention on parental QOL and psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress) in parents of children with cancer.
2. To examine the effects of ACT intervention on parental negative experience, experiential avoidance and psychological flexibility in parents of children with cancer.
3. To examine the effects of ACT intervention on psychological adjustment of children with cancer.

Detailed Description

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A pilot study will be used to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of ACT intervention protocol in Chinese parents of children with cancer. A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be used to evaluate the effects of ACT intervention in parents of children with cancer.

Eligible participants will be randomly assigned into a 1:1 allocation ratio to the ACT group or control group using block randomization with random mixture blocks of 4, 6 and 8. This can avoid the greater frequency of assignments to either group and lead to more balanced treatment groups in size and key outcome-related characteristics over time while reducing the predictability of assignment from the preceding assignment. A sequence list of two group labels (1 = ACT group, 2 = Control group) will be generated using a computerized generation randomization tool by an independent statistician who is blinded to the meaning of group labels will not involve the other part of the study. The group allocation assignment labels will be contained in opaque sealed envelopes and concealed to all researchers and participants involved in this study until the research investigator has completed the assessments of the participant and obtained written consent during the recruitment.

Considering the nature of the study, blinding of participants and ACT interventionists will be impossible. The research assistants involved in data collection and data entry as well as health routine care providers in the units of study hospital will be blinded to the group allocation.

To prevent possible contamination, the ACT intervention for parents in the ACT group will be conducted in a meeting room in the staff area which is geographically separate from the patient area. Besides, the participants are required not to show ACT intervention materials to, nor discuss the intervention contents with other parents in the unit.

Conditions

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Childhood Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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ACT group

In addition to usual care, participants in the ACT group will receive ACT intervention. ACT intervention will be conducted in an individual-based format with four weekly sessions. The first session is a face-to-face format and the other three sessions are online live format.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

ACT intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The components of ACT intervention will include six processes to foster parental PF according to the ACT framework.

Session one - Generate creative hopelessness and build acceptance. The objective is to help parents know about the ACT intervention and realize the experiential avoidance or emotional control strategies do not work, finally turn attention to more useful strategies.

Session two - Create space for your thought. The objective is to help parents create a distance from their thoughts and facilitate parents' ability of not being trapped by thoughts.

Session three - Focus on here and now. The objectives to facilitate parents' experiences of observing self and contact with the present moment but not trapped in the past or future.

Session four - Commit actions in line with the value. The objectives to help parents identify their inner value and take value-based actions even facing the challenges in current difficulties of their children with cancer.

Control group

Participants in the control group will receive usual care in the study setting delivered by clinical staff. The rationale for adopting usual care as a control group is not only because it is more commonly used but also for practical and ethical considerations, as usual care is what is already being delivered clinically, therefore the results of the study can support any necessity of changes to clinical practice or not.

Group Type OTHER

Usual care

Intervention Type OTHER

Usual care in this study setting includes providing general information, education, psychological support, and consultation.

Interventions

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ACT intervention

The components of ACT intervention will include six processes to foster parental PF according to the ACT framework.

Session one - Generate creative hopelessness and build acceptance. The objective is to help parents know about the ACT intervention and realize the experiential avoidance or emotional control strategies do not work, finally turn attention to more useful strategies.

Session two - Create space for your thought. The objective is to help parents create a distance from their thoughts and facilitate parents' ability of not being trapped by thoughts.

Session three - Focus on here and now. The objectives to facilitate parents' experiences of observing self and contact with the present moment but not trapped in the past or future.

Session four - Commit actions in line with the value. The objectives to help parents identify their inner value and take value-based actions even facing the challenges in current difficulties of their children with cancer.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Usual care

Usual care in this study setting includes providing general information, education, psychological support, and consultation.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

The parents will be recruited if parent-child dyads fulfill the following eligibility criteria

Parents:

* Over the ages of 18 years old
* Fathers or mothers who are the primary caregivers (provide the largest amount of daily care) of Children with cancer
* Living together with the childhood cancer patients
* Can communicate in Chinese and follow the instructions of the study
* Can be accessible by telephone or by email

Children:

* Between the ages of 2 to 17 years old
* Newly diagnosed of cancer by a physician in the previous six months and currently receive treatment

Exclusion Criteria

* Parents or their child who were currently participating in another cancer-related intervention study
* Parents or their children who are cognitive impaired
* Children in critical condition or palliative care
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Xiaohuan Jin

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Cho Lee Wong, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Locations

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Children's Hospital of Soochow University

Suzhou, , China

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Xiaohuan Jin

Role: CONTACT

(852)53019946

Cho Lee Wong, PhD

Role: CONTACT

(852) 3943 8166

Facility Contacts

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Wenying Yao, Bachelor

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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CREC Ref. No 2020.452

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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