Clinical trial · Interventional
Stress Management Intervention for Mothers of Children With Cancer
Stress Management Intervention for At-Risk Mothers of Children With Cancer
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
To explore maternal biological (activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) and behavioral (smoking, sleep behavior, exercise and alcohol use) pathways of intervention-related decreases in inflammation. Hypothesis: The intervention group will show decreased levels of cortisol and improved health behaviors from pre- to post-intervention when compared with the control group. We will also explore whether intervention-related changes in these parameters predict symptoms of illness. Exploratory Aim 2. To explore psychological pathways of intervention-related decreases in distress among mothers, including the perception of social support and the use of behavioral coping strategies that are components of the intervention. Hypothesis: Increases in perceived social support and use of active behavioral coping strategies will be associated with intervention-related decreases in symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological stress.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Stress | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stress management | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Control
- description
- participants only complete assessments
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Stress management
- description
- Cognitive Behavioral Stress management Coping enhancement strategies Progressive muscle relaxation Guided imagery relaxation skills Deep breathing relaxation skills Social support
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Stress management
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- change in Maternal depression is being assessed, the Beck Depression Inventory ( BDI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and other measures assessing maternal depression will be used
- timeFrame
- baseline, 2 weeks post intervention, 6 months post intervention
- description
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- Female
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * biologic, adoptive, or legal guardian mothers of children (birth to 17 years) who are within 6 weeks of being newly diagnosed with any cancer, with the exception of a central nervous system (CNS) cancer or early stage lymphoma, recruited from the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) * no reported clinical history of psychotic or bipolar illness, neurological disorder (stroke, transient ischemic attacks, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis) or chronic disease known to influence immune function, including cardiovascular disease, cancer \[within the past 2 years\], or autoimmune disease * not taking medications that might alter responses to questionnaires or indices of immune function (including major sedatives or glucocorticoid, anti-inflammatory, anti-retroviral, or immunosuppressant medication) * fluency in English (i.e., have commonly used English in everyday speaking and reading for at least 10 years) * is at least 18 years of age * not working nightshifts exclusively. Exclusion Criteria: * mothers of children with CNS cancers due to our belief that a psychosocial intervention tailored more specifically to the unique stressors inherent in this diagnosis is warranted * mothers of children with early stage lymphomas will be excluded because of their child's brief/mild treatment course * mothers whose child is older than 17 years will not be eligible; the upper age limit (17 years) was established based on referral patterns at the CHP hematology/oncology department.
References
Publications (3)
- BACKGROUNDMarsland AL, Long KA, Howe C, Thompson AL, Tersak J, Ewing LJ. A pilot trial of a stress management intervention for primary caregivers of children newly diagnosed with cancer: preliminary evidence that perceived social support moderates the psychosocial benefit of intervention. J Pediatr Psychol. 2013 May;38(4):449-61. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jss173. Epub 2013 Jan 21. PMID 23341547
- DERIVEDLindsay EK, Inagaki TK, Walsh CP, Messay B, Ewing LJ, Marsland AL. Stress-Related Inflammation and Social Withdrawal in Mothers of a Child With Cancer: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study. Psychosom Med. 2022 Feb-Mar 01;84(2):141-150. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001037. PMID 34935760
- DERIVEDMarsland AL, Walsh CP, Cleary JL, Vaisleib AD, Farrell C, Woods WC, Tersak JM, Wright A, Ewing LJ. Efficacy of a Stress Management Intervention for Mothers of Children with Cancer. J Pediatr Psychol. 2020 Jul 24:jsaa058. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa058. Online ahead of print. PMID 32705121