Clinical trial NCT06941324: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Support of Psychological Distress in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
Official title: SFBT for AYA Cancer Survivors' Psychological Distress: Evaluating Solution-Focused Brief Therapy as a Strength-Based Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Psychological Distress in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm
Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Lead sponsor: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Children's Cancer Research Fund
First posted: 2025-04-23
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 15
Maximum age (years): 39
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: This clinical trial evaluates the how well a virtually delivered solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT-C) works to decrease adolescent and young adult cancer survivors' psychological distress in comparison to enhanced treatment-as-usual care. Cancer and its treatment can have immediate and long-term impacts on adolescent and young adult cancer survivor's lives, including education and employment, financial stability, sexual health, and social, romantic, and family relationships. Consequently, many adolescent and young adult cancer survivors report psychological distress, often manifesting as depression and anxiety, and may benefit from psychotherapy to improve their engagement with medical treatment and overall quality of life. SFBT-C is a theory-driven and brief hope-based psychotherapy designed for the unique psychosocial needs facing adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Undergoing SFBT-C may work better than treatment-as-usual care for the support of psychological distress in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 15 - 39 years old
* Diagnosed with cancer
* Receiving active cancer care (6 weeks post initial diagnosis to control for emotional responses to normative stressors) or within 5 years of post-treatment survivorship
* Experiencing psychological distress (i.e., a t-score \>= 57 on the Brief Symptom Inventory - 18 items \[BSI-18\])
* Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

* End-of-life care
* \> 5 years into the post-treatment survivorship
* Major physical challenges (e.g., hearing loss, developmental delay)
* Acute mental health conditions (e.g., active psychosis, suicide risk)
* Receiving or newly initiated psychotherapy for psychological distress during the study period

Primary outcomes:
measure: Efficacy of solution-focused brief therapy in cancer survivors (SFBT-C)
timeFrame: At baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 4 and 8 weeks post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Patient's level of hope
timeFrame: Baseline to 8 weeks
measure: Quality of life
timeFrame: At baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 4 and 8 weeks post intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Ann Arbor
country: United States
facility: University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
state: Michigan
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
name: Anao Zhang
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: