Improvement in resiliency factors among adolescents with neurofibromatosis who participate in a virtual mind–body group program

• Published in: Journal of neuro-oncology 2020-04, Vol.147 (2), p.451-457
• Main Authors: Lester, Ethan G., Macklin, Eric A., Plotkin, Scott, Vranceanu, Ana-Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adolescents; Child; Clinical Study; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Genetic disorders; Health education; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mindfulness; Mindfulness - methods; Neurofibromatoses - psychology; Neurofibromatoses - therapy; Neurofibromatosis; Neurofibromin 2; Neurological disorders; Neurology; Oncology; Participation; Prognosis; Quality of Life; Resilience, Psychological; Social interactions; Teenagers; Telemedicine; Tumors
• ISSN: 0167-594X; 1573-7373
• DOI: 10.1007/s11060-020-03441-8

Purpose To examine effects of a virtual mind–body group for adolescents with neurofibromatoses (NF1 and NF2; Resilient Youth with Neurofibromatosis; RY-NF) on multiple resiliency factors against a health education attention control (Health Education for Youth with Neurofibromatosis; HE-NF) using data from a randomized controlled trial. Specifically, our research question was whether adolescents randomized to the RY-NF (versus the HE-NF) would have greater improvements in resiliency factors at post-intervention and whether these gains would be maintained at 6-month follow-up. Methods Adolescents with NF ( n  = 51; M age 12–17) were randomly assigned to RY-NF ( n  = 27) or HE-NF ( n  = 24). Resiliency factors (mindfulness, coping, gratitude, optimism, and social support) were collected at baseline, post-intervention (88%), and 6-month follow-up (82%). Results Participation in the RY-NF was associated with greater pre-to-post improvements in gratitude ( M difference  = 4.38; 95% CI—0.52–8.23; p  = .027) and mindfulness ( M difference = 9.41; 95% CI 4.40–14.42.; p