NCT00377130

Stress Management Therapy in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Cancer

Stress Management Therapy for Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 442 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of South Florida · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

RATIONALE: A stress-management program may improve quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well stress management therapy works in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine if a self-administered stress management intervention is effective in improving quality of life and decreasing psychological distress (anxiety and depression) in Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Secondary * Determine if the degree of acculturation in Hispanics influences the observed helpfulness of the intervention. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center, use of psychotropic drugs (yes vs no), and ethnicity (Hispanic vs non-Hispanic). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. * Arm I (self-administered stress management training plus usual psychosocial care): Patients receive a video DVD, audio CD, and brochure that provides information and instruction in 3 stress management training techniques (progressive muscle relaxation training and guided imagery, abdominal breathing, and coping skills training) to use during chemotherapy. Patients also receive usual psychosocial care. * Arm II (usual psychosocial care only): Patients receive usual psychosocial care. Patients complete questionnaires to assess mood, quality of life, and other factors at baseline and before chemotherapy courses 2, 3, and 4. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 442 patients will be accrued for this study.

Conditions

• Cancer
• Psychological Stress
• Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Self Administered Stress Management	The SSMT kit includes a DVD and booklet will discuss the sources and manifestations of stress during chemotherapy and the potential benefits of stress management training. The videotape/DVD and booklet will also include brief instruction in paced breathing, progressive muscle relaxation with guided imagery, and use of coping self-statements as well as recommendations for practicing the techniques before the start of chemotherapy and using them after the start of treatment. The exercise combines abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation training with use of relaxing mental imagery. The "positive thinking" exercise provides participants with brief instruction in the use of coping self-statements using techniques borrowed from stress inoculation training.

Timeline

• Start date: 2006-12-01
• Primary completion: 2010-05-01
• Completion: 2010-05-01
• First posted: 2006-09-15
• Last updated: 2014-01-31

Locations

51 sites across 2 countries: United States, Puerto Rico