Virtual Dignity Therapy for Palliative Care Patients With Advanced Cancer

NCT ID: NCT05113199

Last Updated: 2025-03-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 21 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-11-18
• Study Completion Date: 2025-02-17

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if it is feasible and acceptable to recruit for and deliver the Virtual Dignity Therapy intervention to palliative care patients with advanced cancer.

Detailed Description

This study is an investigator-initiated, single site Mayo Clinic Rochester prospective minimal risk pilot study to determine feasibility and acceptability of Virtual Dignity Therapy. The Dignity Therapy intervention is a brief, individualized psychotherapy that aims to relieve psycho-emotional and existential distress and improve the experiences of patients whose lives are impacted by serious illness. This therapy offers patients an opportunity to reflect on their life with a trained facilitator and share their thoughts and memories with family and other people in their life. This therapy consists of a total of 3 sessions, with each session 2-4 weeks apart, in which the investigator provides questions focused on life review. The sessions are recorded and transcribed. The interventionist will work with patients to edit the document and provide a final generativity document for patient to keep and give to loved ones.

Conditions

Advanced Cancer

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Virtual Dignity Therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Virtual Dignity Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Dignity Therapy will be facilitated by a registered nurse or medical doctor trained in Dignity Therapy.

Interventions

Virtual Dignity Therapy

Virtual Dignity Therapy will be facilitated by a registered nurse or medical doctor trained in Dignity Therapy.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age ≥18 years
• English fluency
• No diagnosed dementia
• Diagnosis of advanced cancer
• Expected prognosis > 6 months
• Provide informed consent
• Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance

• Age ≥18 years
• English fluency
• Provide informed consent
• Supported patient through Dignity Therapy

Exclusion Criteria

• Other psychological co-morbidities such as untreated schizophrenia, bipolar disease
• Recent suicide attempt or psychiatric illness severe enough that hospitalization has been necessary in last 6 months
• Active delirium
• Participation in concurrent legacy offerings through the palliative care clinic

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Deirdre R. Pachman

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Deirdre Pachman, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mayo Clinic

Locations

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Countries

United States

Related Links

https://www.mayo.edu/research/clinical-trials

Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials

Other Identifiers

21-005065

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id