Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (AYAs) experience clinically significant distress and have limited access to supportive care services. Interventions to enhance psychological well-being have improved positive affect and reduced depression in clinical and healthy populations but have not been routinely tested in AYAs.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this protocol is to (1) test the feasibility and acceptability of a Web-based positive emotion skills intervention for posttreatment AYAs called Enhancing Management of Psychological Outcomes With Emotion Regulation (EMPOWER) and (2) examine proof of concept for reducing psychological distress and enhancing psychological well-being.
METHODS: The intervention development and testing are taking place in 3 phases. In phase 1, we adapted the content of an existing, Web-based positive emotion intervention so that it would be suitable for AYAs. EMPOWER targets 8 skills (noticing positive events, capitalizing, gratitude, mindfulness, positive reappraisal, goal setting, personal strengths, and acts of kindness) and is delivered remotely as a 5-week, Web-based intervention. Phase 2 consisted of a pilot test of EMPOWER in a single-arm trial to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, retention, and adherence and to collect data on psychosocial outcomes for proof of concept. In phase 3, we are refining study procedures and conducting a second pilot test.
RESULTS: The project was part of a career development award. Pilot work began in June 2015, and data collection was completed in March 2019. The analysis is ongoing, and results will be submitted for publication by May 2020.
CONCLUSIONS: If this intervention proves feasible and acceptable, EMPOWER will be primed for a subsequent large, multisite randomized controlled trial. As a scalable intervention, it will be ideally suited for AYA survivors who would otherwise not have access to supportive care interventions to help manage posttreatment distress and enhance well-being.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02832154, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02832154.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/17078
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-28-2020
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.2196/17078
Funding Information
The research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH under award number K07CA158008 (PI: JS). LM was supported by NCI R25 CA122061 (PI: Nancy Avis).
Repository Citation
Salsman, John M.; McLouth, Laurie E.; Cohn, Michael; Tooze, Janet A.; Sorkin, Mia; and Moskowitz, Judith T., "A Web-Based, Positive Emotion Skills Intervention for Enhancing Posttreatment Psychological Well-Being in Young Adult Cancer Survivors (EMPOWER): Protocol for a Single-Arm Feasibility Trial" (2020). Behavioral Science Faculty Publications. 53.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/behavsci_facpub/53
Appendix 1: Study timeline
17078-340395-1-SP.pdf (134 kB)
Appendix 2: Peer-reviewer report from NIH
Included in
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Biostatistics Commons, Data Science Commons, Integrative Medicine Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons, Oncology Commons
Notes/Citation Information
Published in JMIR Research Protocols, v. 9, issue 5, 17078, p. 1-12.
© John M Salsman, Laurie E McLouth, Michael Cohn, Janet A Tooze, Mia Sorkin, Judith T Moskowitz. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 28.05.2020.
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