REST: Randomised trial of an intervention targeting self-Efficacy to self-manage cancer-related fatigue in people with a primary brain Tumour

An online intervention targeting self-efficacy to self-manage cancer-related fatigue (CRF). The online intervention consists of six sessions that will be completed across a 12 week period. Each session takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. The content of each session is summarised below: Session 1 (About Fatigue) provides education about CRF, including how it is commonly experienced by people with a primary brain tumour and what the possible causes and impacts are. It includes video animations of patient narratives about their experiences of CRF. Participants are asked to identify areas of their life affected by fatigue that they would like to focus on throughout the intervention. An optional quiz on CRF is provided for those who would like to assess their own knowledge. Session 2 (Making Plans) introduces the concept of self-monitoring and setting plans to address fatigue using SMART goals (i.e. specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound). Possible barriers to following plans are discussed and video animations of patient narratives describing the usefulness of setting plans to manage fatigue are included. External links to useful resources are also provided. Session 3 (Home and Lifestyle) describes how CRF may impact on aspects of everyday life including home life, and how setting effective plans can help to manage this interference. Impacts of CRF on exercise, housework, laundry, childcare, diet, grocery shopping, sleep and meal preparation are discussed, along with strategies for managing these impacts. External links to useful information and resources are provided. Session 4 (Work) focuses on how CRF can impact on work and provides strategies for managing these impacts including by setting effective plans. External links are provided to useful information and resources. Session 5 (Thoughts & Feelings) focuses on how thoughts and feelings can impact CRF and how this can be managed using CBT principles, as well as by setting effective management plans. It discusses self-esteem, uncertainty, stress, worry and anxiety, and negative thoughts and feelings generally, and provides strategies for helping to manage them. External links to additional information and resources are provided. Session 6 (Talking to Others) describes the difficulties of talking to others about CRF and introduces strategies to help manage this, including through setting effective plans. It includes strategies for talking to employers, friends and family, health professionals, and choosing not to talk. External links to useful resources are provided. Activities are available throughout each session. These include an online fatigue diary participants can use to monitor their fatigue from day-to-day, in addition to single-item assessments of fatigue at the beginning of each session. Stories (video animations) from people with primary brain tumour are included throughout to provide examples of how people with a brain tumour are affected by CRF and strategies they have used to help them manage. Automated tailored feedback based on goal-related progress and change in fatigue levels from the previous session are included throughout and links are provided to additional information and useful resources relevant to each session. Participants can pause completion and return to a particular session either later that same day or on a different day if necessary. During the trial, patients will receive automated emails encouraging them to complete their session or begin the next session if they have not done so within 14 days. Similar emails will be sent to prompt completion of outcome measures. If participants choose not to complete a particular session they will be asked to provide a reason. Adherence to the intervention will be captured using website analytics.