Previvors Recharge: A Resilience Program for Cancer Previvors
Phase: NA
Conditions: Hereditary Cancer, Mental Health Issue
Sponsor: Pro-Change Behavior Systems

Previvors Recharge: A Resilience Program for Cancer Previvors (PreCharge) 
 
NCT06378749 
 
Unique Protocol ID: R43CA275673 
 
March 21, 2023 
 
 

 
Unique Protocol 
Objective: 
The purpose of this research was to assess in a 30-day pilot test the acceptability and 
feasibility of PreCharge, a digital program delivered via text messaging and online activities 
designed to increase resilience and adaptive coping among previvors—individuals with 
Hereditary Cancer Syndromes (HCS) who have not been diagnosed with cancer. PreCharge 
is tailored to users’ levels of resilience and adaptive coping and addresses previvor-speciﬁc 
needs related to: 1) information; 2) healthcare navigation; 3) processing difficult emotions; 
4) social support; and 5) self-care.  
Design:  
As this was a Phase I study, it entailed a single-group, pre-post pilot of the PreCharge.
program.  
The PreCharge.program has various components including:  
• Immediate.and.Ongoing.Tailored.Communications¡.Following the baseline 
assessment, participants received onscreen feedback tailored to their responses. 
This feedback highlighted the importance of resilience and adaptive coping for 
previvors and described how the program aimed to enhance those skills. 
Participants’ responses also guided daily text communications. Daily text messages 
provided tailored guidance—matched to each user’s responses—about resilience 
and coping strategies. Periodic reassessments conducted via SMS ensured that 
communications remained relevant to participants’ evolving needs. 
• Online.Portal. Upon completion of the baseline assessment, participants gained 
access to a portal homepage which featured interactive activities and tools 
designed to address their resilience and coping. The portal included links to 
additional resources, an account page, and a log-out button. For research 
purposes, study information was also accessible from this page during the pilot.  
• Just-in‗Time.Assistance. In addition to daily text messages, participants could 
access “just-in-time assistance” by indicating upcoming medical appointments or 
texting trigger words. Appointment-related communications were sent via SMS 
three days before, on the day of, and three days after an appointment to address 
“scanxiety” and other concerns in a timely manner. Participants could also text 
trigger words at any time to receive immediate support. In response to trigger words, 

PreCharge.provided participants with timely guidance for improving moods, 
practicing gratitude, and managing stress.  
Methods:  
Recruitment for the 30-day pilot test began in April 2024. Participants were recruited with 
the help of two leading previvor advocacy organizations: Facing Our Risk of Cancer 
Empowered (FORCE) and AliveandKick’n. From recruitment materials distributed by our 
recruitment partners, prospective participants were directed to a study landing page which 
began with a brief overview of the study, followed by “Frequently Asked Questions,” that 
addressed several elements of informed consent. The landing page also included 
instructions on how to initiate the brief (about 5 minutes) secure screening assessment.  
The study eligibility criteria assessed in the secure screening assessment were:  
• Able to read and speak English 
• Age 18 or older 
• Currently living in the U.S. 
• Regular use of a smartphone, the internet, or both 
• Regular use of text messaging, email, or both 
• Identify as having a Hereditary Cancer Syndrome (HCS) 
• Have never been diagnosed with cancer 
• Have a “low” level of resilience as indicated by a score of 26 or below on the Connor 
Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10) 
The screener excluded individuals who did not meet the study eligibility criteria. Individuals 
who screened out or who did not consent to study participation were thanked for their time 
and provided with a list of national resources for previvors.  
Eligible participants were invited to provide informed consent. Those who provided 
informed consent completed a baseline research assessment that assessed conﬁdence to 
cope, psychological ﬂexibility, depression, and anxiety. After completing the baseline 
assessment, participants completed their ﬁrst session, which asked them a series of 
questions to determine their level of resilience. Based on responses during this ﬁrst 
session, the system delivered tailored feedback and queued 30 days worth of daily, tailored 
text messages focused on resilience. Completing this ﬁrst session marked the end of the 
baseline session (baseline research assessment + ﬁrst session) and granted participants 
access to their online portal, which featured interactive activities and tools designed to 
address their resilience and coping. Participants were told they could access their online 
portal at any time during the 30-day pilot period. As a thank you for completing the baseline 
assessment, participants received a $50 gift card.  

Four days after completing the ﬁrst session (which followed the baseline assessment), 
participants were prompted to complete a brief second session via text message. This 
session asked participants a series of questions related to an adaptive coping strategy: 
acceptance. Based on responses during that session, the system delivered tailored 
feedback and queued daily, tailored text messages about acceptance.  
This pattern continued for the remainder of the 30-day pilot period: every four days, 
participants were prompted to complete a new session via text message, during which they 
would be asked a series of questions related to either resilience or an adaptive coping 
strategy; based on their responses, the system delivered tailored feedback and queued 
daily, tailored text messages related to the construct assessed.  
Over the course of the 30-day pilot period, participants could complete up to seven 
sessions via SMS. The constructs assessed during each session were as follows: 1) 
resilience; 2) adaptive coping strategy: acceptance; 3) resilience; 4) adaptive coping 
strategy: active coping; 5) resilience; 6) adaptive coping strategy: venting; 7) resilience.  
All daily text messages provided tailored guidance matched to each participant’s 
responses to questions about their resilience and use of adaptive coping strategies, and 
encouraged users to engage with online portal activities and tools.  
Participants received an email 31 days after completing the baseline session (baseline 
research assessment + ﬁrst session), participants received an email inviting them to 
complete the follow-up assessment. Up to four text and ﬁve email reminders to complete 
the follow-up assessment were sent. Non-respondents received up to two telephone calls 
from the Research Manager to remind them to complete the follow-up assessment and 
offer them the opportunity to complete the assessment by phone. As a thank you for 
completing the follow-up assessment, participants received a $70 gift card.  
Pilot participants were 138 previvors. Of the 138 initial participants, 134 completed the 
follow-up assessment at the end of the 30-day pilot period, resulting in a ﬁnal sample of 
134 previvors.  
Simple descriptive statistics were calculated to describe the study sample and to evaluate 
program utilization and acceptability. Paired t-tests of pre-post differences on several key 
outcomes, including the primary outcome (resilience as measured by the CD-RISC 10), 
were conducted.