Spouses/Partners Expressing Their Thoughts After Transplant

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study seeks to test a brief psychological intervention for spousal caregivers of cancer patients (specifically, hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients), persons known to experience emotional distress.

Detailed Description
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This project focuses on spousal caregivers (CGs) of hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors - persons known to report elevated levels of distress as compared to both norms and their patient counterparts. Specific Aims are to: (1) Determine, via experimental manipulation, whether or not CGs of hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients engage in protective buffering, a coping mechanism whereby partners shield patients from illness-related concerns or worries, (2) Examine synchrony or lack thereof, desynchrony, among subjective, expressive and biologic indicators of emotion among spousal CGs, and (3) Test the feasibility and implementation of an emotional expression (EE) exercise designed to enhance psychological and immune functioning among spousal CGs.

Official Title
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Emotional Expression and Cancer Caregivers

Conditions
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Cancer, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Emotional expression


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: patients and partners at least 21 years of age patients and partners English speaking patients about to receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients married or in a committed, cohabiting, heterosexual or homosexual relationship caregivers in a married or committed, cohabiting, heterosexual or homosexual relationship with the patient caregivers present at the transplant site and planning to remain so for at least one month Exclusion Criteria: patient major psychiatric disorder caregiver presence or history of a neurologic disorder

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Emotional expression, patient present<br>Caregivers are asked to talk about their deepest thoughts and feelings regarding the patient's transplant and their role as caregiver, in the presence of the patient (one session). | Behavioral: Emotional expression<br>* Caregivers are given the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings regarding the patient's transplant and their role as caregiver<br>* Other names: Emotional disclosure;|
| Experimental: Emotional expression, patient absent<br>Caregivers are asked to talk about their deepest thoughts and feelings regarding the patient's transplant and their role as caregiver, in the absence of the patient (3 sessions). | Behavioral: Emotional expression<br>* Caregivers are given the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings regarding the patient's transplant and their role as caregiver<br>* Other names: Emotional disclosure;|
| Active Comparator: Comparison<br>Caregivers are asked to talk about their plans for the upcoming week (time management, sessions 1 and 3) and positive aspects of their life (session 2). | Behavioral: Emotional expression<br>* Caregivers are given the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings regarding the patient's transplant and their role as caregiver<br>* Other names: Emotional disclosure;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-reported mental and physical health as measured by the Short Form-36 Health Survey |  | baseline, 1-month follow-up, and 4-month follow-up | 
| Marital satisfaction as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale |  | pre-transplant, baseline, 1-month follow-up, and 4-month follow-up | 
| Self- and partner-reported protective buffering as measured by the Protective Buffering Scale |  | pre-transplant, baseline, 1-month follow-up, and 4-month follow-up | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emotional experience as assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule |  | During intervention/ disclosure sessions | 
| Galvanic skin response (physiological indicator of emotion) |  | During intervention/ disclosure sessions | 
| Emotional expression (facial expression and words uttered) |  | During intervention/ disclosure sessions | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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caregivers, cancer, emotion, protective buffering