Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2012 Aug 3:12:339.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-12-339.

Online group-based cognitive-behavioural therapy for adolescents and young adults after cancer treatment: a multicenter randomised controlled trial of Recapture Life-AYA

Ursula M Sansom-Daly  1 , Claire E Wakefield, Richard A Bryant, Phyllis Butow, Susan Sawyer, Pandora Patterson, Antoinette Anazodo, Kate Thompson, Richard J Cohn
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Online group-based cognitive-behavioural therapy for adolescents and young adults after cancer treatment: a multicenter randomised controlled trial of Recapture Life-AYA

Ursula M Sansom-Daly et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: A cancer diagnosis is 2.9 times more likely to occur during the adolescent and young adult years than in younger children. This spike in incidence coincides with a life stage characterised by psychological vulnerability as young people strive to attain numerous, critical developmental milestones. The distress young people experience after cancer treatment seriously jeopardises their ability to move into well-functioning adulthood.

Methods/design: This article presents the protocol of the Recapture Life study, a phase II three-arm randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a new intervention in reducing distress and improving quality of life for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. The novel intervention, "ReCaPTure LiFe" will be compared to a both a wait-list, and a peer-support group control. Ninety young people aged 15-25 years who have completed cancer treatment in the past 1-6 months will be recruited from hospitals around Australia. Those randomised to receive Recapture Life will participate in six, weekly, 90-minute online group sessions led by a psychologist, involving peer-discussion around cognitive-behavioural coping skills (including: behavioural activation, thought challenging, communication and assertiveness skills training, problem-solving and goal-setting). Participants randomised to the peer-support group control will receive non-directive peer support delivered in an identical manner. Participants will complete psychosocial measures at baseline, post-intervention, and 12-months post-intervention. The primary outcome will be quality of life. Secondary outcomes will include depression, anxiety, stress, family functioning, coping, and cancer-related identity.

Discussion: This article reviews the empirical rationale for using group-based, online cognitive-behavioural therapy in young people after cancer treatment. The potential challenges of delivering skills-based programs in an online modality are highlighted, and the role of both peer and caregiver support in enhancing the effectiveness of this skills-based intervention is also discussed. The innovative videoconferencing delivery method Recapture Life uses has the potential to address the geographic and psychological isolation of adolescents and young adults as they move toward cancer survivorship. It is expected that teaching AYAs coping skills as they resume their normal lives after cancer may have long-term implications for their quality of life.

Trial registration: ACTRN12610000717055.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Recapture Life-AYA study flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bleyer A, Viny A, Barr R. Cancer in 15- to 29-Year-Olds by Primary Site. Oncologist. 2006;11(6):590–601. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.11-6-590. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Cancer in adolescents and young adults in Australia. AIHW, Canberra; 2011.
    1. Levi F. et al.Trends in cancer mortality at age 15 to 24 years in Europe. Eur J Cancer. 2003;39(18):2611–2621. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2003.03.001. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kessler RC. et al.Prevalence, Severity, and Comorbidity of 12-Month DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(6):617–627. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.617. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Seitz DC, Besier T, Goldbeck L. Psychosocial interventions for adolescent cancer patients: a systematic review of the literature. Psychooncology. 2009;18(7):683–690. doi: 10.1002/pon.1473. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources