Cancer
Conditions
Brief summary
This study will focus on supporting cancer patients who often experience emotional challenges like anxiety and depression. It will test a two-week online program called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), designed to help people manage difficult emotions and focus on what matters most in their lives. The program will include short, easy-to-follow sessions covering helpful strategies like accepting distress and staying present in the moment. Participants will be randomly assigned to either join the ACT program or wait for the program while continuing their usual care. The study aims to determine whether the ACT program can reduce psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients. The study will use a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative data (such as changes in distress, anxiety, and depression) and qualitative insights from participant interviews. This will help us gain a deeper understanding of how the ACT program may support the psychological distress of cancer patients.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALa mobile app-delivered Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The study utilized a specially tailored internet-based self-help ACT program for cancer patients. It consisted of an introductory module and six core intervention modules: (1) Refusing Avoidance; (2) Accepting Distress; (3) Living in the Present Moment; (4) Observing Yourself Psychologically; (5) Exploring Meaningful Values; and (6) Committing to Action. Each module, designed to take 30-60 minutes, was delivered over a two-week period.
Sponsors
Centrl China Normal University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* age 18 and above; * diagnosed cancer with a clear disease course * fluent in Chinese with the ability to read and understand questionnaires independently; * ability to operate a smartphone independently; * not participating in or intervening in other clinical studies.
Exclusion criteria
* younger than 18 years of age * unable to use a smartphone * have significant cognitive impairment or a serious systemic disease or psychiatric disorder * concurrently participating in other clinical studies or undergoing other psychotherapy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility outcomes | Post-intervention (immediately after the 2-week intervention) | Feasibility is evaluated using retention rate and intervention completion rate. Retention rate reflects the percentage of participants who successfully completed all study-related measurements throughout the trial. |
| Psychological Distress | Baseline, one week post-baseline, and post-intervention (immediately after the 2-week intervention) | Psychological distress is assessed using the Distress Thermometer (DT) (Holland et al., 2013). Scores range from 0 (no distress) to 10 (extreme distress), with higher scores reflecting greater levels of psychological distress. |
| Anxiety and Depression | Baseline, one week post-baseline, and post-intervention (immediately after the 2-week intervention) | Anxiety and depression are measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983), a 14-item questionnaire comprising separate subscales for anxiety and depression. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale, and higher scores reflect greater severity of anxiety and depression symptoms. |
| Acceptability | Post-intervention (immediately after the 2-week intervention) | Acceptability is evaluated using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) (Larsen et al., 1979). This 8-item measure uses a 4-point Likert scale (1 = low satisfaction to 4 = high satisfaction), with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with the treatment. |
Countries
China
Outcome results
None listed