Adapting The Fear Of Recurrence Therapy (FORT) for Parents and Establishing Acceptability and Feasibility

Clinical levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) affect up to 59% of adult cancer survivors. Family caregivers experience equal or greater levels of FCR, which has been linked to lower quality of life and increased distress. FCR can be addressed in cancer survivors with brief interventions. However, none of these interventions have been tested with parents of childhood cancer survivors. This is an urgent gap: the survival rates of childhood cancer have increased more rapidly than for adult cancers, resulting in a growing population of childhood cancer survivors who, along with their families, need support.

The goals of this pilot study are to demonstrate 1) that a newly adapted intervention of FORT (Parent-FORT) is feasible (i.e., participant recruitment, attendance and participation) and acceptable (i.e., parent satisfaction of the intervention) for a larger study, and 2) the clinical implications of Parent-FORT on fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and quality of life in parents of childhood cancer survivors.

Parents will be randomly assigned to participate in the Parent-FORT intervention immediately or a three-month waitlist control group. They will complete a questionnaire package before and after the intervention, as well as at a three month follow up. This study will help bridge an important gap in bringing evidence-based care to parents who have never been offered help before for their FCR.