An Evaluation of the Families Addressing Cancer Together (FACT) Intervention

A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Evidence of Efficacy of the Families Addressing Cancer Together (FACT) Intervention

This is a pilot feasibility and acceptability study to inform the development and testing of a novel communication intervention to support parents in their communication with children about cancer. The research questions to be answered by this study are whether the intervention being tested can be feasible and acceptable, and provide preliminary estimates of improvement in parental psychological distress.

This is a single-arm, single center pilot study using a pretest-posttest design to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a psychosocial intervention, Families Addressing Cancer Together (FACT). The purpose of the intervention is to decrease parental anxiety by facilitating parental communication about cancer with their children. The primary hypothesis being tested is that an intervention that assists parents with their communication needs with their children can be feasible, acceptable, and reduce parental psychological distress. Findings from this study will inform a future grant application to further test this intervention in a randomized controlled trial.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Informed consent reviewed and signed;
• Age equal to or above 18 years;
• Ability to understand and comply with study procedures;
• Be a parent, primary caregiver, or guardian of at least one child between the ages of 3-19 years old with whom the subject has regular contact. The child must have cognitive ability to understand verbal communication;
• Have a new or recurrent diagnosis of invasive solid tumor malignancy within the past 6 months or have a solid tumor cancer diagnosis with disease that is either stage IV or equivalent;
• Have a cancer diagnosis that is likely to require systemic anti-neoplastic therapy, non-office based surgical intervention, radiation therapy, or palliative care/hospice within the next three months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to complete self-report instruments due to illiteracy, neurologic illness, inability to speak or read English, or other causes.