Effectiveness of meaning in life intervention programme in young and middle-aged cancer patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionDiminished levels of meaning in life can have a range of detrimental effects on cancer patients, including heightened anxiety, depression, psychological distress, reduced quality of life and, in severe cases, even thoughts of suicide. Notably, young and middle-aged cancer patients often...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ open 2024-10, Vol.14 (10), p.e082092
Main Authors: Wang, Shuman, Xu, Wenjie, Zhu, Yu, Zheng, Mimi, Wan, Hongwei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anxiety - therapy
Cancer therapies
China
Consent
Depression - therapy
Female
Humans
Intervention
Male
Mental disorders
Mental health
Middle age
Middle Aged
Neoplasms - psychology
Neoplasms - therapy
Nursing
ONCOLOGY
Patients
Post-traumatic growth
Posttraumatic Growth, Psychological
Prospective Studies
Protocols & guidelines
Psychological Distress
Psychotherapy
Quality of Life
Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Software
Young Adult
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Summary:IntroductionDiminished levels of meaning in life can have a range of detrimental effects on cancer patients, including heightened anxiety, depression, psychological distress, reduced quality of life and, in severe cases, even thoughts of suicide. Notably, young and middle-aged cancer patients often exhibit even lower levels of meaning in life compared with their counterparts in other age groups. The primary objective of this study is to formulate a meaning in life intervention programme and assess its efficacy in enhancing the meaning in life and other relevant indicators among young and middle-aged cancer patients.Methods and analysisA prospective, parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted. Eighty-eight young and middle-aged cancer patients will be randomised into either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive 4 week, six-session, group-based meaning in life intervention programme, while the control group will receive treatment as usual. The primary outcome is meaning in life, and secondary outcomes are post-traumatic growth and psychological distress. These indicators will be assessed at baseline, on completion of the intervention and again 2 months following its conclusion.Ethics and disseminationThe trial has received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Hospital (2202-53-04-2301A-2310B). The study results will be shared through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.Trial registration numberChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2200060672.
ISSN:2044-6055
2044-6055
DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082092