Virtual Group Therapy for Cancer

Overseen By Clinical Trials Referral Office

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Disqualifiers: Suicidal intent, Psychotic symptoms, Personality disorder, Cognitive impairments, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 7

Duration: 6 weeks

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on virtual group therapy, so it's likely you can continue your medications, but you should confirm with the trial organizers.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for cancer patients?

Research shows that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help cancer patients by improving their psychological flexibility, which makes it easier for them to adapt to their condition. Studies also indicate that ACT can reduce both physical and emotional symptoms in cancer survivors, enhancing their quality of life. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) safe for cancer patients?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been used safely in cancer patients to help with psychological and emotional issues. It is a type of therapy that focuses on accepting feelings and committing to personal values, and it has been shown to reduce symptoms without any known safety concerns. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

How is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) unique for cancer treatment?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is unique because it focuses on increasing psychological flexibility, helping patients accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, which can improve adaptability and quality of life. Unlike traditional therapies, ACT can be delivered virtually, making it accessible for cancer patients who may have difficulty attending in-person sessions. ^{4 8 9 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This clinical trial tests how well acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion based virtual group therapy works to improve psychological wellbeing, such as compassion, understanding, and flexibility, in patients with cancer. Receiving a cancer diagnosis, undergoing cancer treatment, and living with cancer- or treatment-related symptoms have often been found to be associated with elevated distress and decreased quality of life for individuals, even when the disease is stable or in remission. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has demonstrated considerable benefits on individuals' quality of life, psychological flexibility, and amelioration of psychological distress following a cancer diagnosis and in the face of uncertainty, loss, and challenges associated with cancer.

Research Team

Chun Tao, PhD, LP

Principal Investigator

Mayo Clinic

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for cancer patients seeking to improve their psychological wellbeing. It's open to those experiencing distress or a decreased quality of life due to their diagnosis, treatment, or symptoms. Specific eligibility details are not provided but typically include health status and consent.

Inclusion Criteria

I am currently dealing with cancer, receiving treatment, or have finished treatment within the last 2 years.

I am stressed by my cancer and my treatment goals match the group's purpose.

Being a patient of Mayo Clinic Arizona

Exclusion Criteria

Patients' inability to take part in and benefit from the virtual group therapy based on clinical judgment of the psychosocial oncology team member who completes the psychosocial evaluation, which may include having active suicidal or homicidal intent, experiencing uncontrolled psychotic symptoms, having untreated personality disorder/characteristics that are likely disturbing in a group setting, and/or having moderate to severe cognitive impairments

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants attend acceptance and commitment virtual group therapy sessions over 1.5 hours each, once a week for 6 weeks

6 weeks

6 visits (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for psychological wellbeing improvements 1 month after treatment completion

4 weeks

1 visit (virtual)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Trial Overview The study examines the effectiveness of virtual group therapies: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Based Therapy, in enhancing understanding, compassion, flexibility, and overall mental wellness in cancer patients.

Participant Groups

Group I: Supportive care (group therapy sessions) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Patients attend acceptance and commitment virtual group therapy sessions over 1.5 hours each, once a week for 6 weeks.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Mayo Clinic

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,427

Recruited

3,221,000+

Findings from Research

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence in a systematic review of 13 studies involving 537 cancer survivors.

The review suggests that ACT can improve psychological flexibility and quality of life for cancer survivors, but highlights the need for more rigorous studies to explore its effects on other symptoms like pain and insomnia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptance and commitment therapy in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review and conceptual model. Mathew, A., Doorenbos, AZ., Jang, MK., et al.[2023]

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to significantly improve quality of life and reduce anxiety, depression, psychological distress, and fatigue in 488 patients with advanced cancer, based on a systematic review of eight studies.

While ACT was effective for various psychological outcomes, it did not significantly relieve psychological flexibility or pain, indicating that its benefits may be more focused on emotional well-being rather than physical symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with advanced cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Fang, P., Tan, L., Cui, J., et al.[2023]

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) significantly improved emotional approach coping and self-compassion in 134 anxious cancer survivors, leading to reduced anxiety-related symptoms, particularly cancer-related trauma.

The study found that self-compassion and emotional approach coping were key mediators in ACT's effectiveness, suggesting that enhancing these qualities can help alleviate anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence in survivors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention and mediation effects of target processes in a randomized controlled trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxious cancer survivors in community oncology clinics. Fishbein, JN., Judd, CM., Genung, S., et al.[2022]

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) significantly increases hope in women with cancer, as shown by a study involving 24 participants who underwent pre-test and post-test assessments.

The research indicates that ACT can enhance psychological flexibility and adaptability in cancer patients, suggesting it may be a beneficial therapeutic approach during treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Life Expectancy of Female Cancer Patients at Tehran's Dehshpour Institute in 2015. Ghasemi, F., Dehghan, F., Farnia, V., et al.[2017]

A study involving 203 post-treatment cancer survivors identified three symptom severity classes, revealing that those with higher symptom burdens (like fatigue and anxiety) showed lower levels of mindfulness and acceptance.

The results support the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model, suggesting that survivors with greater symptom distress are less engaged in meaningful activities and less accepting of their experiences, highlighting the need for further research on ACT's effectiveness in alleviating suffering in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Symptom experiences in post-treatment cancer survivors: associations with acceptance and commitment therapy constructs. Lewson, AB., Johns, SA., Krueger, E., et al.[2022]

A pilot study involving 25 cancer patients tested an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group intervention, showing promising results in reducing fear of progression, depression, and psychological inflexibility, while improving psychological health-related quality of life and well-being.

The high adherence rate among participants suggests that the ACT-based intervention is feasible for use in outpatient settings, although further research with randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm its effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Development and Evaluation of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Group Intervention for Cancer Patients with Psychological Burden]. Sauer, C., Maatouk, I.[2022]

Both Behavioral Activation (BA) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are effective treatments for emotional problems in cancer survivors, as shown in a study of 52 patients, where both therapies outperformed a waiting list control group.

ACT was found to be more effective than BA in reducing social impairment and avoidance/rumination, indicating that these mechanisms play a key role in improving emotional well-being among cancer survivors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treating anxiety and depression of cancer survivors: Behavioral activation versus acceptance and commitment therapy. González-Fernández, S., Fernández-Rodríguez, C., Paz-Caballero, MD., et al.[2018]

The study evaluated 54 recorded sessions of a telephone-based Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for smoking cessation, finding high adherence (average score of 4.61) and competence (average score of 4.81) among therapists.

The results indicate that ACT can be effectively delivered via telephone, suggesting it could be a valuable method for future research and interventions targeting smoking cessation and other behavioral changes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Acceptance & Commitment Therapy be delivered with fidelity as a brief telephone-intervention? Schimmel-Bristow, A., Bricker, JB., Comstock, B.[2021]

This study is testing the feasibility and acceptability of remotely delivered acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for improving the quality of life in 72 young survivors of childhood brain tumors, aged 11-24, over a 12-week period.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive ACT immediately or after a 12-week wait, with outcomes measured for physical and mental health, functioning, and quality of life, allowing researchers to assess the effectiveness and durability of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptance and commitment therapy for young brain tumour survivors: study protocol for an acceptability and feasibility trial. Malins, S., Owen, R., Wright, I., et al.[2022]

A 1-day virtual Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) workshop for veterans showed high feasibility with a 97.1% completion rate among 64 participants, indicating strong interest and engagement, especially among rural veterans.

Participants experienced significant improvements in psychological distress, stressor-related distress, community reintegration, and sense of meaning and purpose, suggesting that the workshop may be an effective intervention for enhancing mental health in veterans.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Feasibility of delivering a virtual 1-day acceptance and commitment therapy workshop to rural veterans through community partnerships. Dindo, L., Chaison, A., Rodrigues, M., et al.[2023]

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) effectively enhances psychological flexibility and has shown efficacy in treating a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, with a meta-analysis revealing an average effect size of 0.66 at post-treatment across 704 participants.

ACT not only improves mental health outcomes but also benefits other medical areas such as chronic pain management and smoking cessation, demonstrating its versatility and positive impact on quality of life.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Acceptance and commitment therapy]. Ducasse, D., Fond, G.[2019]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptance and commitment therapy in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review and conceptual model. [2023]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with advanced cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. [2023]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention and mediation effects of target processes in a randomized controlled trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxious cancer survivors in community oncology clinics. [2022]

4. Thailand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Life Expectancy of Female Cancer Patients at Tehran's Dehshpour Institute in 2015. [2017]

5. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Symptom experiences in post-treatment cancer survivors: associations with acceptance and commitment therapy constructs. [2022]

6. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Development and Evaluation of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-Based Group Intervention for Cancer Patients with Psychological Burden]. [2022]

7. Spain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treating anxiety and depression of cancer survivors: Behavioral activation versus acceptance and commitment therapy. [2018]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Acceptance & Commitment Therapy be delivered with fidelity as a brief telephone-intervention? [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptance and commitment therapy for young brain tumour survivors: study protocol for an acceptability and feasibility trial. [2022]

10. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Feasibility of delivering a virtual 1-day acceptance and commitment therapy workshop to rural veterans through community partnerships. [2023]

11. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Acceptance and commitment therapy]. [2019]