It is Time to Address Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Family Caregivers: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Randomized Pilot Study of the Family Caregiver Version of the Fear of Recurrence Therapy (FC-FORT).
Jani Lamarche, Rinat Nissim, Jonathan Avery, Jiahui Wong, Christine Maheu, Sylvie D Lambert, Andrea M Laizner, Jennifer Jones, Mary Jane Esplen, Sophie Lebel
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is common, persistent, and associated with lower quality of life, impaired functioning, and psychological distress in family caregivers (FC) of individuals with a cancer diagnosis. Interventions are needed to specifically target FCR in FC. This study aimed to pilot test the adapted Family Caregiver-Fear Of Recurrence Therapy (FC-FORT) to establish its feasibility, acceptability, and clinical significance.
Methods: This pilot study used a mixed-method, parallel, two-group randomized control trial (FC-FORT vs. waitlist control group) design. Women FC were recruited through Canadian hospitals, community partners, and social media. FC in the intervention group completed 7 weekly sessions of virtual group therapy (FC-FORT) and an exit interview. All participants completed questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Feasibility (e.g., recruitment, allocation, fidelity), acceptability (e.g., dropout, completion, satisfaction) and clinical significance of secondary outcomes were evaluated. Descriptive statistics, mixed ANOVAs, and conventional content analyses were used.
Results: Regarding feasibility, 22 FC were recruited, 18 were randomized and therapist fidelity was 87%. As to acceptability, 67% of participants completed 5 sessions (33% dropout). Questionnaire completion rate was 92%. FC satisfaction was 80%. Analyses did not reveal any significant differences on the secondary outcomes between groups. Qualitative analyses revealed high importance, helpfulness, satisfaction, and group cohesion. Suggestions were made by FC for improvements.
Conclusions: This is one of the first interventions to address FCR in FC. While acceptability of FC-FORT was good, important feasibility issues need to be addressed before moving forward with a larger randomized control trial.
Trial registration: NCT, NCT05441384. Registered July 1st, 2022, https://classic.
期刊介绍：
Psycho-Oncology is concerned with the psychological, social, behavioral, and ethical aspects of cancer. This subspeciality addresses the two major psychological dimensions of cancer: the psychological responses of patients to cancer at all stages of the disease, and that of their families and caretakers; and the psychological, behavioral and social factors that may influence the disease process. Psycho-oncology is an area of multi-disciplinary interest and has boundaries with the major specialities in oncology: the clinical disciplines (surgery, medicine, pediatrics, radiotherapy), epidemiology, immunology, endocrinology, biology, pathology, bioethics, palliative care, rehabilitation medicine, clinical trials research and decision making, as well as psychiatry and psychology.
This international journal is published twelve times a year and will consider contributions to research of clinical and theoretical interest. Topics covered are wide-ranging and relate to the psychosocial aspects of cancer and AIDS-related tumors, including: epidemiology, quality of life, palliative and supportive care, psychiatry, psychology, sociology, social work, nursing and educational issues.
Special reviews are offered from time to time. There is a section reviewing recently published books. A society news section is available for the dissemination of information relating to meetings, conferences and other society-related topics. Summary proceedings of important national and international symposia falling within the aims of the journal are presented.
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