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Kan JM, Dieng M, Butow PN, Mireskandari S, Tesson S, Menzies SW, Costa DSJ, Morton RL, Mann GJ, Cust AE, Kasparian NA. Identifying the 'Active Ingredients' of an Effective Psychological Intervention to Reduce Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Process Evaluation. Front Psychol 2021; 12:661190. [PMID: 34163405 PMCID: PMC8215538 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.661190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Psychological interventions targeting fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) are effective in reducing fear and distress. Process evaluations are an important, yet scarce adjunct to published intervention trials, despite their utility in guiding the interpretation of study outcomes and optimizing intervention design for broader implementation. Accordingly, this paper reports the findings of a process evaluation conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial of a psychological intervention for melanoma patients. Methods: Men and women with a history of Stage 0-II melanoma at high-risk of developing new primary disease were recruited via High Risk Melanoma Clinics across Sydney, Australia and randomly allocated to receive the psychological intervention (n = 80) or usual care (n = 84). Intervention participants received a tailored psycho-educational resource and three individual psychotherapeutic sessions delivered via telehealth. Qualitative and quantitative data on intervention context, processes, and delivery (reach, dose, and fidelity), and mechanisms of impact (participant responses, moderators of outcome) were collected from a range of sources, including participant surveys, psychotherapeutic session audio-recordings, and clinical records. Results: Almost all participants reported using the psycho-educational resource (97%), received all intended psychotherapy sessions (96%), and reported high satisfaction with both intervention components. Over 80% of participants would recommend the intervention to others, and a small proportion (4%) found discussion of melanoma-related experiences confronting. Perceived benefits included enhanced doctor-patient communication, talking more openly with family members about melanoma, and improved coping. Of potential moderators, only higher FCR severity at baseline (pre-intervention) was associated with greater reductions in FCR severity (primary outcome) at 6-month follow-up (primary endpoint). Conclusions: Findings support the acceptability and feasibility of a psychological intervention to reduce FCR amongst individuals at high risk of developing another melanoma. Implementation into routine melanoma care is an imperative next step, with FCR screening recommended to identify those most likely to derive the greatest psychological benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice M Kan
- Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mbathio Dieng
- NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Phyllis N Butow
- Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Shab Mireskandari
- Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephanie Tesson
- Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Scott W Menzies
- Discipline of Dermatology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,The Sydney Melanoma Diagnostic Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel S J Costa
- Pain Management Research Institute, The University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachael L Morton
- NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Graham J Mann
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Anne E Cust
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nadine A Kasparian
- Cincinnati Children's Center for Heart Disease and Mental Health, Heart Institute and the Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Tauber NM, O'Toole MS, Dinkel A, Galica J, Humphris G, Lebel S, Maheu C, Ozakinci G, Prins J, Sharpe L, Smith AB, Thewes B, Simard S, Zachariae R. Effect of Psychological Intervention on Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Oncol 2019; 37:2899-2915. [PMID: 31532725 PMCID: PMC6823887 DOI: 10.1200/jco.19.00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a significantly distressing problem that affects a substantial number of patients with and survivors of cancer; however, the overall efficacy of available psychological interventions on FCR remains unknown. We therefore evaluated this in the present systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS We searched key electronic databases to identify trials that evaluated the effect of psychological interventions on FCR among patients with and survivors of cancer. Controlled trials were subjected to meta-analysis, and the moderating influence of study characteristics on the effect were examined. Overall quality of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE system. Open trials were narratively reviewed to explore ongoing developments in the field (PROSPERO registration no.: CRD42017076514). RESULTS A total of 23 controlled trials (21 randomized controlled trials) and nine open trials were included. Small effects (Hedges’s g) were found both at postintervention (g = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.46; P < .001) and at follow-up (g = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.40; P < .001). Effects at postintervention of contemporary cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs; g = 0.42) were larger than those of traditional CBTs (g = 0.24; β = .22; 95% CI, .04 to .41; P = .018). At follow-up, larger effects were associated with shorter time to follow-up (β = −.01; 95% CI, −.01 to −.00; P = .027) and group-based formats (β = .18; 95% CI, .01 to .36; P = .041). A GRADE evaluation indicated evidence of moderate strength for effects of psychological intervention for FCR. CONCLUSION Psychological interventions for FCR revealed a small but robust effect at postintervention, which was largely maintained at follow-up. Larger postintervention effects were found for contemporary CBTs that were focused on processes of cognition—for example, worry, rumination, and attentional bias—rather than the content, and aimed to change the way in which the individual relates to his or her inner experiences. Future trials could investigate how to further optimize and tailor interventions to individual patients’ FCR presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina M Tauber
- Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Andreas Dinkel
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Galica
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gerry Humphris
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Lebel
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christine Maheu
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Gozde Ozakinci
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Judith Prins
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Louise Sharpe
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Allan Ben Smith
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research and University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Belinda Thewes
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sébastien Simard
- International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Robert Zachariae
- Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,International Psycho-Oncology Society Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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