Pilot Study of the SONATA Social Network Program to Support Older Adults With Advanced Cancer

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the SONATA intervention in a pilot randomized controlled trial among older adults aged 65 years and older with advanced cancer. This population often faces functional and cognitive challenges, as well as emotional symptoms, which affect their ability to manage care and quality of life. The trial aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of SONATA compared to enhanced usual care in improving patient activation and quality of life. The SONATA intervention includes six key components designed to engage patients social networks. These components involve goal-setting, identifying and mapping social network members, engaging key members to support patient goals, creating communication channels, building skills for effective communication and support, and using feedback cycles to respond to patients needs. Participants randomized to SONATA will have up to six coaching sessions over about six weeks, delivered in person or via Zoom. Those in the enhanced usual care group will receive standard educational materials within four weeks after randomization. Participants will be involved in assessments from the start of the study through week 16, including measures of study feasibility, patient activation, quality of life across emotional, social, and existential domains, autonomy, competence, relatedness, and social support. The study will track these outcomes to understand the interventions impact. The total participation duration is approximately 16 weeks, during which participants will complete questionnaires and possibly other evaluations to support the research objectives.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Social Network Intervention