Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Improving Well-Being in Patients With Stage III-IV Cancer and Their Partners

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Improving Well-Being in Patients With Stage III-IV Cancer and Their Partners

This pilot clinical trial studies how well acceptance and commitment therapy works in improving well-being in patients with stage III-IV cancer and their partners. Learning how to accept negative thoughts and feelings and how to live in the present without worrying about the future or past may improve coping skills in patients with stage III-IV cancer and their partners.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To examine the feasibility and acceptability of couples' acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) (C-ACT). II. To collect pilot data on the impact of C-ACT on patients' and partners' anxiety, depression, and quality of life. OUTLINE: Patients and their partners attend 6 weekly ACT sessions over 60-75 minutes. Couples learn skills of acceptance, avoidance, awareness, values and committed action, mindfulness and values in relationships, and handling persistent worries and concerns. Patients and their partners also do homework assignment after each session. After completion of the study, patients and their partners are followed up at 1 week.

Malignant Female Reproductive System Neoplasm, Malignant Hepatobiliary Neoplasm, Partner, Stage III Breast Cancer, Stage III Cervical Cancer, Stage III Colorectal Cancer, Stage III Lung Cancer, Stage III Prostate Cancer, Stage III Skin Melanoma, Stage III Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IIIA Breast Cancer, Stage IIIA Cervical Cancer, Stage IIIA Colorectal Cancer, Stage IIIA Lung Carcinoma, Stage IIIA Skin Melanoma, Stage IIIA Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IIIB Breast Cancer, Stage IIIB Cervical Cancer, Stage IIIB Colorectal Cancer, Stage IIIB Lung Carcinoma, Stage IIIB Skin Melanoma, Stage IIIB Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IIIC Breast Cancer, Stage IIIC Colorectal Cancer, Stage IIIC Skin Melanoma, Stage IIIC Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IV Breast Cancer, Stage IV Cervical Cancer, Stage IV Colorectal Cancer, Stage IV Lung Cancer, Stage IV Prostate Cancer, Stage IV Skin Melanoma, Stage IV Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IVA Cervical Cancer, Stage IVA Colorectal Cancer, Stage IVA Uterine Corpus Cancer, Stage IVB Cervical Cancer, Stage IVB Colorectal Cancer, Stage IVB Uterine Corpus Cancer

Patients and their partners attend 6 weekly ACT sessions over 60-75 minutes. Couples learn skills of acceptance, avoidance, awareness, values and committed action, mindfulness and values in relationships, and handling persistent worries and concerns. Patients and their partners also do homework assignment after each session.

Pre-post changes will be examined using t-tests in the primary outcomes as well as the mechanisms of change (e.g., flexibility, avoidance self-disclosure). Because this is primarily a pilot and feasibility study and not an efficacy test, these data will be used primarily to examine whether an impact on distress and well-being was made but statistical significance will not be the primary aim.

Pre-post changes will be examined using t-tests in the primary outcomes as well as the mechanisms of change (e.g., flexibility, avoidance self-disclosure). Because this is primarily a pilot and feasibility study and not an efficacy test, these data will be used primarily to examine whether an impact on distress and well-being was made but statistical significance will not be the primary aim.

Pre-post changes will be examined using t-tests in the primary outcomes as well as the mechanisms of change (e.g., flexibility, avoidance self-disclosure). Because this is primarily a pilot and feasibility study and not an efficacy test, these data will be used primarily to examine whether an impact on distress and well-being was made but statistical significance will not be the primary aim.

This trial will be considered feasible if the acceptance rate among eligible patients is equal to or greater than 30%

This trial will be considered feasible if drop out from sessions (at any point over the 6 sessions) is less than 20% (thus, 6/30)

This trial will be considered feasible if 3) completion of study surveys at the follow up is 80%, and patients are not lost to progressive disease.

Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 breast, cervical, colorectal, endometrial, hepatobiliary, lung, melanoma, gynecological, prostate cancer in the past six months Married or cohabiting with a significant other of either gender for more than one year At the time of recruitment, a life expectancy of greater than 6 months and/or a Karnofsky performance status of 80 or above or an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0 or 1 English speaking No significant hearing impairment that would prevent participation in sessions Live within a 1 hour commuting distance from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Exclusion Criteria: Partner cannot have cancer diagnosis (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) and be currently receiving treatment