Each year, about 89,500 adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 15-39 years old) are diagnosed with cancer and up to 60% experience body image (BI) distress. BI is largely developed in adolescence and young adulthood and has implications for self-identity and quality of life. Cancer itself and its associated treatments precipitate changes to appearance as well as body sensation and function, all of which can alter BI and lead to increased anxiety. An in-home BI-focused expressive writing (EW) program offers a promising outlet for addressing BI distress and anxiety in a way that eliminates constraints of clinical time and specialist availability. There are no recommended interventions to help AYA cancer survivors cope with BI distress. To address this knowledge gap, the objective of this this pilot randomized-controlled trial is to determine the feasibility of a four-week BI-focused EW intervention to decrease BI distress and anxiety among AYA cancer survivors with the hypothesis that this intervention will reduce BI distress and anxiety.
Protocol was updated to make the previous secondary outcome measures now exploratory
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
BI Focused writing program
Attention Control Writing
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Feasibility of in-home Body Image (BI) -focused expressive writing (EW) intervention for post-treatment adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors with BI distress (recruitment)
percent of patients recruited within 6 months
Time frame: 7 months
Feasibility of in-home Body Image (BI) -focused expressive writing (EW) intervention for post-treatment adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors with BI distress (adherence)
percent of patients who complete the baseline and four week patient reported measures. 50% of participants complete 3 out of 4 (75%) of the at-home writing interventions.
Time frame: 7 months
Feasibility of in-home Body Image (BI) -focused expressive writing (EW) intervention for post-treatment adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors with BI distress (practicality)
75% of participants complete the baseline and four-week patient-reported measures
Time frame: 7 months
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