Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Palliative Care Patients (MCP-PC)

Fordham University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Palliative Care

Treatments: Behavioral: Meaning Centered Psychotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03612050

R21 NR017728

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized, controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of an adaptation of a well-established brief, structured existential psychotherapy (Meaning Centered Psychotherapy) specifically tailored to the needs of palliative care patients (MCP-PC). Terminally ill patients with cancer who have been hospitalized in a palliative care hospital will be randomly assigned to either MCP-PC or enhanced usual care. Patients will complete a very short battery of self-report measures before the 3-session intervention, and again 2 and 4 weeks later to determine whether treatment has bolstered spiritual and psychological well-being and improved quality of life.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Terminal illness with life expectancy of less than 6 months; hospitalized at a palliative care facility in Bronx NY, English speaking

Exclusion criteria

• Cognitive impairment or severe psychiatric symptoms that preclude informed consent or participation in treatment.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Enhanced Usual Care

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

facilitate any clinical interventions

Treatment:

Behavioral: Meaning Centered Psychotherapy

Meaning Centered Psychotherapy

Experimental group

Description:

raise patients' sense of meaning/purpose

Treatment:

Behavioral: Meaning Centered Psychotherapy