Chinese American Cancer Survivors Writing Study

New York University (NYU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Factual Writing; Behavioral: Expressive Helping; Behavioral: Expressive Writing

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05456100

1K01MD014750 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

20-0603

Details and patient eligibility

About

The Chinese American Cancer Survivors Writing Study is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) testing the feasibility and efficacy of the Expressive Helping (EH) intervention among Chinese American cancer survivors.

Full description

Chinese Americans are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States, but there is still a lack of culturally-sensitive and linguistically-appropriate resources and interventions for this group. To address this gap, the investigators will examine the efficacy and feasibility of Expressive Helping, a writing intervention designed to lead participants to write about their cancer experiences. Participants will be adult cancer survivors of Chinese descent. After screening and consent, eligible participants will be enrolled in a 1:1:1 randomized controlled trial. Assessments of psychological symptoms will occur at baseline (prior to randomization), 1-month post-intervention, 3-months post-intervention, and 6-months post-intervention.

Enrollment: 108 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Over 18 years old.
• Prefer speaking in Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese, and able to read and write Simplified or Traditional Chinese.
• Within 5 years after completing primary treatment or have completed primary treatment but still on medication for managing cancer-related symptoms.

Exclusion criteria

• Difficulties with writing
• Current active participation in support groups (i.e., attending more than once per week)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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108 participants in 3 patient groups

Expressive Helping

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a 20-minute expressive writing session once per week for the first three weeks. During Week 4, participants complete a 20-minute peer support writing session.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Expressive Helping

Expressive Writing

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants complete a 20-minute expressive writing session once per week for four weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Expressive Writing

Factual Writing

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants complete a 20-minute factual writing about their cancer diagnosis and treatment every week for four weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Factual Writing