Clinical trial · Interventional
mHealth for Young Adult Cancer Survivors
An mHealth Positive Psychology Intervention to Reduce Cancer Burden in Young Adult Cancer Survivors
- 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)
We aim to refine and pilot test an 8-week phone- and app-based intervention to promote hope, and thereby mitigate life disruption caused by cancer diagnosis and treatment, among young adults (YAs); our proposal involves (Aim 1) formative research among YA survivors and healthcare providers; and (Aim 2) an randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention vs. attention control among 150 YA cancer survivors. The proposed research is innovative in its use of: 1) a novel intervention target - hope - as a mechanism for addressing goal-disruption and quality of life (QOL) among YA survivors; and 2) novel mHealth components and population-based recruitment strategy (via social media) that are particularly relevant to YA survivors and those with potentially limited access to healthcare. This proposal has potential high impact due to the number of YA cancer survivors for whom the intervention may be relevant, the intervention's potential utility in enhancing hope and QOL among YAs, and its reach/scalability.
Conditions
Conditions (3)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Malignant Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Psychological Well-Being | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Survivorship | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| an empirically supported protocol, further refined with evidence-based strategies | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Health education | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention
- description
- The intervention utilizes an empirically supported protocol, further refined with evidence-based strategies targeting the needs of young adult (YA) survivors. Its long-term goal is to promote hopeful thinking, and ultimately enhance other long-term markers of quality of life (QOL) (including mental health and health behaviors). The intervention follows 8 weekly curricula, reinforced through psychoeducation and skill-building, homework/practical application, and self-monitoring. Its 8-week design was informed by cognitive behavioral therapy and positive psychology intervention literature.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: an empirically supported protocol, further refined with evidence-based strategies
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Attention Control
- description
- Health education regarding maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, and nutrition, based on American Cancer Society and NCI guidelines/recommendations.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Health education
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
- Maximum age
- 39 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of stage I-IV cancer from age 18-39 * Completion of curative treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation) within three years of study enrollment * No significant psychological disabilities * Able to complete forms and understand instructions in English * Smartphone access * Aim 2: Able to commit to 8-week remotely delivered study Exclusion Criteria: * Completion of curative treatment (surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation) over three years ago or currently in treatment * Significant psychological disabilities
References
Publications (3)
- DERIVEDBerg CJ, McCready DM, Hinds PS, Lyon ME, Dennis K, Howlader A, Bhanot P, Shajan S, Chalasani P, Chitalia A, Arem H. Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of a Digital, Coach-Assisted Intervention to Enhance Hope and Quality of Life Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors. Psychooncology. 2025 Nov;34(11):e70315. doi: 10.1002/pon.70315. PMID 41170949
- DERIVEDBerg CJ, Schubel LC, McCready DM, Shajan S, Bhanot P, Dopke C, Howlader A, Hinds PS, Levine J, Lyon ME, Chalasani P, Arem H. Profiles of quality of life among US young adult cancer survivors and their associations with potential psychosocial intervention targets of hope and psychological flexibility. Qual Life Res. 2025 Sep;34(9):2677-2688. doi: 10.1007/s11136-025-04010-0. Epub 2025 Jun 28. PMID 40580382
- DERIVEDMcCready DM, Arem H, Duarte DA, Dennis K, Ball N, Cafferty LA, Hinds PS, Howlader A, Berg CJ. A digital, coach-assisted intervention to address the psychosocial needs of young adult cancer survivors: Randomized controlled trial protocol and intervention adaptation process. Contemp Clin Trials. 2024 Jun;141:107545. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107545. Epub 2024 Apr 23. PMID 38657732