Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable
Age: 18Years +
All Genders
ID06872840

Addressing Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Parents of Pediatric Cancer Survivors: Adapting The Fear Of Recurrence Therapy (FORT) for Parents and Establishing Acceptability and Feasibility

Led by University of Ottawa · Updated on 2025-09-22

36

Participants Needed

1

Research Sites

39 weeks

Total Duration

On this page

Sponsors

U

University of Ottawa

Lead Sponsor

C

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Collaborating Sponsor

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) affects many adult cancer survivors and their family caregivers, often leading to distress and lower quality of life. Parents of childhood cancer survivors face similar concerns, but existing brief interventions for FCR have not been tested with this group. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a newly adapted therapy called Parent-FORT designed specifically for these parents, and to understand its impact on their fear and quality of life. The study will enroll 36 parents of childhood cancer survivors who will be randomly assigned to either receive the Parent-FORT intervention immediately or join a three-month waitlist control group. Parent-FORT includes seven weekly 120-minute group therapy sessions delivered via videoconference, with activities, group discussions, and homework assignments led by trained therapists. Participants will also attend a one-on-one pre-therapy meeting before starting the group sessions. Those in the waitlist group will be offered the intervention after the waiting period. Participants will complete questionnaires before and after the intervention and again three months later to measure changes in fear of cancer recurrence and quality of life. Additional assessments include post-session measures of group cohesion and alliance. Therapists will be trained and supervised to ensure treatment fidelity. The study also includes interviews to gather feedback on the intervention experience. The total participation period includes the intervention and follow-up assessments, lasting several months.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Adapting The Fear Of Recurrence Therapy (FORT) for Parents and Establishing Acceptability and Feasibility

Who Can Participate

Age: 18Years +
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Parent or primary caregiver of a childhood cancer survivor under 18 years old
  • Child is at least 1 month past completion of active treatment with no cancer recurrence
  • Clinical level of fear of cancer recurrence, scoring 13 or higher on the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form for parents
  • Access to a computer and internet connection
  • Living in Canada
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Parent of a pediatric cancer survivor who is now 18 years or older
  • Parent of a pediatric cancer survivor who had hematopoietic cell transplantation and has active graft-versus-host disease not stabilized for at least 3 months
  • Non-English speakers
  • Currently participating in another therapist-led psychosocial therapy group
  • Parent with unmanaged or poorly managed mental health disorder affecting group participation
  • Only one parent or caregiver per child may participate to avoid data overlap

AI-Screening

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Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 screening and enrollment visit (via telephone or email)

Pre-Therapy Meeting

Duration - 1 session before therapy starts

Participants attend a one-on-one pre-therapy meeting with a study therapist to prepare for group work and review expectations.

1 individual videoconference visit

Treatment

Duration - 7 consecutive weeks

Participants take part in Parent-FORT, consisting of 7 weekly group therapy sessions of 120 minutes each via videoconference, with weekly assigned homework.

7 weekly group videoconference sessions and weekly homework assignments; make-up session offered for first missed session

Follow-up

Duration - 3 months after treatment ends

Participants complete questionnaires and assessments at three months after the intervention to evaluate ongoing effects.

1 follow-up questionnaire package via online survey

Trial Site Locations

Total: 1 location

1

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N6N5

Actively Recruiting

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Research Team

C

Celeste Holy, B.A

S

Sophie Lebel, PhD

How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

NONE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

TREATMENT

Number of Arms

2

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Published Research Related To This Trial

It is Time to Address Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Family Caregivers: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Randomized Pilot Study of the Family Caregiver Version of the Fear of Recurrence Therapy (FC-FORT).

Jani Lamarche, Rinat Nissim, Jonathan Avery...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39887474