Spanish Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer

NCT ID: NCT05197348

Last Updated: 2023-05-17

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

92 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-01-02

Study Completion Date

2023-04-01

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study is to verify the efficacy of the Spanish adaptation of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Spanish participants with cancer in a randomized control trial.

Detailed Description

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Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP) is effective in improving meaning in life, hope, optimism, self-efficacy, well-being, and quality of life, and in reducing stress in people with cancer. However, all the studies on the application of MCP in cancer patients have been carried out in Anglo-Saxon samples. Therefore, it is necessary to adapt and verify the efficacy of MCP in populations that speak languages other than English, such as Spanish. Moreover, to expand the data supporting the efficacy of MCP for cancer patients, it would be necessary to compare MCP to other active therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The study has several aims: The first objective is to verify the efficacy of the MCP intervention for Spanish participants with cancer in a randomized control trial (RCT) comparing it to CBT. The second objective is to analyze the feasibility and acceptance of MCP in Spanish participants with cancer. The third objective is to analyze whether the changes produced in the Meaning in Life dimensions (presence, search, comprehension, purpose, and mattering) will predict changes in anxiety, depression, quality of life, etc.

The investigators adapted MCP for Spanish participants with cancer. The Spanish MCP is an adaptation of the MCP developed by Breitbart as an eight-session group therapy for patients with advanced cancer. This paper presents the study protocol. The study design consists of a two-arm RCT with two conditions: MCP and CBT, where participants will be randomized to one of the two groups. Participants will be adults with stage I, II, and III cancer who have completed their medical treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy). Participants will be assessed at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. The intention-to-treat principle will be used when analyzing data, using mixed-effects models with full information and maximum likelihood estimation

Conditions

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Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Randomized Control Trial, efficacy Study
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCP).

The intervention lasts two months and includes eight sessions that follow a two-hour group format on a weekly basis. The investigators will follow the manualized MCP for patients with advanced cancer.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCP).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The MCP program is divided into eight sessions:

Session1: Psychoeducation about Meaning in life, Sources of Meaning, etc. Session 2: Cancer illness and meaning. Session 3: Historical Sources of Meaning (the past) Session 4: Historical Sources of Meaning (present and future). Session 5: Attitudinal Sources of Meaning. Session 6: Creative Sources of Meaning. Session 7: Experimental Sources of Meaning. Session 8: End of psychotherapy, farewell, and facing the future with hope.

Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT).

The intervention lasts two months and includes eight sessions that follow a two-hour group format on a weekly basis, with the following sessions. The investigators will follow the manualized CBT or patients with advanced cancer.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The CBT divided into eight sessions:

Session1: Presentation of psychotherapy, establishing the goals of psychotherapy. Presentation of the participants. Updated information about psychological consequences of cancer.

Session 2. Increase in enjoyable activities. Behavioral activation. Progressive muscle relaxation training. Slow breathing training.

Session 3. Cognitive model of coping with cancer. Psychoeducation on negative thoughts. Training in detecting negative thoughts. Presentation of cognitive distortions Session 4. Training in cognitive restructuring techniques. Session 5. Training in problem-solving skills. Session 6. Being aware of participants needs. Self-care. Assertiveness skills training.

Session 7. Setting goals for the future. Session 8. Summary, relapse prevention, and end of psychotherapy.

Interventions

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Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCP).

The MCP program is divided into eight sessions:

Session1: Psychoeducation about Meaning in life, Sources of Meaning, etc. Session 2: Cancer illness and meaning. Session 3: Historical Sources of Meaning (the past) Session 4: Historical Sources of Meaning (present and future). Session 5: Attitudinal Sources of Meaning. Session 6: Creative Sources of Meaning. Session 7: Experimental Sources of Meaning. Session 8: End of psychotherapy, farewell, and facing the future with hope.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT).

The CBT divided into eight sessions:

Session1: Presentation of psychotherapy, establishing the goals of psychotherapy. Presentation of the participants. Updated information about psychological consequences of cancer.

Session 2. Increase in enjoyable activities. Behavioral activation. Progressive muscle relaxation training. Slow breathing training.

Session 3. Cognitive model of coping with cancer. Psychoeducation on negative thoughts. Training in detecting negative thoughts. Presentation of cognitive distortions Session 4. Training in cognitive restructuring techniques. Session 5. Training in problem-solving skills. Session 6. Being aware of participants needs. Self-care. Assertiveness skills training.

Session 7. Setting goals for the future. Session 8. Summary, relapse prevention, and end of psychotherapy.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Participants will be adults with stage I, II, and III cancer who have completed their medical treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy).
* Participants will have to express a need for psychological care.
* Participants will have low meaning in life.

Exclusion Criteria

* Participants who are currently receiving another psychological or psychiatric treatment.
* Diagnosis of a serious mental disorder (schizophrenia, substance dependence, dementia, or cognitive impairment).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Valencia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Pilar Llombart, Ph.D.Student

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Valencian Institute of Oncology Foundation (IVO)

Sandra Perez, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Valencia

Veronica Guillen Botella, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Valencia

Joaquin Garcia-Alandete, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Valencia

Rosa Baños, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Valencia

Jose Heliodoro Marco Salvador, Ph. D.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University of Valencia

Locations

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University of Valencia

Valencia, , Spain

Site Status

Countries

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Spain

References

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Marco JH, Alonso S, Banos R. Meaning-making as a mediator of anxiety and depression reduction during cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in participants with adjustment disorders. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2021 Mar;28(2):325-333. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2506. Epub 2020 Sep 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32881109 (View on PubMed)

Breitbart W, Rosenfeld B, Pessin H, Kaim M, Funesti-Esch J, Galietta M, Nelson CJ, Brescia R. Depression, hopelessness, and desire for hastened death in terminally ill patients with cancer. JAMA. 2000 Dec 13;284(22):2907-11. doi: 10.1001/jama.284.22.2907.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11147988 (View on PubMed)

van der Spek N, Vos J, van Uden-Kraan CF, Breitbart W, Cuijpers P, Holtmaat K, Witte BI, Tollenaar RAEM, Verdonck-de Leeuw IM. Efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Med. 2017 Aug;47(11):1990-2001. doi: 10.1017/S0033291717000447. Epub 2017 Apr 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28374663 (View on PubMed)

Vos J, Vitali D. The effects of psychological meaning-centered therapies on quality of life and psychological stress: A metaanalysis. Palliat Support Care. 2018 Oct;16(5):608-632. doi: 10.1017/S1478951517000931. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30246682 (View on PubMed)

Breitbart W, Poppito S, Rosenfeld B, Vickers AJ, Li Y, Abbey J, Olden M, Pessin H, Lichtenthal W, Sjoberg D, Cassileth BR. Pilot randomized controlled trial of individual meaning-centered psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Apr 20;30(12):1304-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.36.2517. Epub 2012 Feb 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22370330 (View on PubMed)

Rosenfeld B, Saracino R, Tobias K, Masterson M, Pessin H, Applebaum A, Brescia R, Breitbart W. Adapting Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for the palliative care setting: Results of a pilot study. Palliat Med. 2017 Feb;31(2):140-146. doi: 10.1177/0269216316651570. Epub 2016 Jul 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27435603 (View on PubMed)

Lichtenthal WG, Catarozoli C, Masterson M, Slivjak E, Schofield E, Roberts KE, Neimeyer RA, Wiener L, Prigerson HG, Kissane DW, Li Y, Breitbart W. An open trial of meaning-centered grief therapy: Rationale and preliminary evaluation. Palliat Support Care. 2019 Feb;17(1):2-12. doi: 10.1017/S1478951518000925. Epub 2019 Jan 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30683164 (View on PubMed)

Winger JG, Ramos K, Kelleher SA, Somers TJ, Steinhauser KE, Porter LS, Kamal AH, Breitbart WS, Keefe FJ. Meaning-Centered Pain Coping Skills Training: A Pilot Feasibility Trial of a Psychosocial Pain Management Intervention for Patients with Advanced Cancer. J Palliat Med. 2022 Jan;25(1):60-69. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0081. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34388037 (View on PubMed)

Marco JH, Llombart P, Romero R, Garcia-Conde A, Corral V, Guillen V, Perez S. Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial☆. Behav Ther. 2024 Sep;55(5):1071-1083. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2024.03.005. Epub 2024 Apr 10.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39174266 (View on PubMed)

Marco JH, Llombart P, Guillen V, Banos RM, Romero R, Garcia-Conde A, Perez Rodriguez S. Spanish Adaptation of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Participants With Cancer: Study Protocol of a Randomized Control Trial. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 7;13:892573. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.892573. eCollection 2022.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35873227 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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CEIM:2019-17

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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