Feasibility of a complex psychosocial intervention for families with parental cancer: acceptability, suitability, implementability, and perceived support

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2024-10, Vol.150 (10), p.464, Article 464
• Main Authors: Ernstmann, Nicole, Nakata, Hannah, Heier, Lina, Heuser, Christian, Dohmen, Marc, Bremen, Rebecca, Geiser, Franziska, Holsteg, Steffen, Karger, Andre, Viehmann, Anja, Brüne, Manuela, Icks, Andrea, Haastert, Burkhard, Brümmendorf, Tim H., Petermann-Meyer, Andrea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Cancer; Cancer Research; Family - psychology; Feasibility; Feasibility Studies; Female; Hematology; Humans; Information processing; Internal Medicine; Intervention; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - psychology; Neoplasms - therapy; Oncology; Parents - psychology; Psychosocial Intervention - methods; Social Support; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 1432-1335; 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05946-5

Purpose This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a comprehensive psychosocial intervention for families coping with parental cancer. Methods A quasi-experimental trial with intervention and control group, employing a mixed-methods approach, was conducted. A total of 472 families affected by parental cancer participated. The feasibility of the intervention was evaluated based on study monitoring measures (on-site visits, team supervision meeting observations, case conference observations, best practice workshops, coordinating information exchange between intervention sites, and reviewing intervention documentation), process evaluation (semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion) and survey data. Data analysis involved thematic coding and descriptive statistics. Results The intervention was well-received by the participating families, with a high degree of acceptance observed. The feasibility of the intervention was found to be associated with specific dynamics within each family system and the motivation of the family members. The success of the intervention was described as dependent on the family-centered arrangement of the encounters, including factors such as frequency, duration, and mode, which greatly influenced its overall acceptability. Conclusion The family-scout intervention demonstrates its feasibility as an effective intervention to reduce the burden experienced by families coping with parental cancer. Psychosocial oncology services should continue to develop and implement family-centered interventions to offer support to families during their cancer journey. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04186923. Retrospectively registered on 4 December 2019.