63240
document
Evaluating the acceptability and efficacy of a psycho-educational intervention for coping and symptom management by children with cancer : a randomized controlled study . AIMS To evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of a psycho-educational intervention designed to improve effective coping and reduce symptom severity in children with cancer . BACKGROUND Cancer treatments increase survival rates and also cause physical and psychological effects on children with cancer . A psycho-educational intervention is used to assist children and adolescents with these effects and its efficacy has been described in several studies . DESIGN A randomized controlled trial . METHODS Participants being treated were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups from September 2011-February 2013 in Taiwan . The intervention group received a psycho-educational intervention in addition to standard care , while the control group received only standard care . Each participant was assessed using a paediatric cancer coping scale and perceived symptom severity was evaluated at three time points ( baseline , 1 month and 3 months ) . A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to estimate the effects of intervention . Qualitative findings were analysed using content analysis . RESULTS No significant difference in coping scores was found between groups , but the experimental group reported significantly lower scores in gastrointestinal problems and pain . Most symptoms decreased significantly over time in both groups , except for gastrointestinal problems . The scores in pain , bone marrow suppression and body image showed significant interaction effects between groups on changes over time . Qualitative results reported that participants evaluated the intervention positively , especially about receipt of psychological support and learnt coping skills . CONCLUSIONS The psycho-educational intervention administered was acceptable for children with cancer and was found to reduce gastrointestinal problems and pain .
63241
Intervention_Psychological
psycho-educational intervention
63242
Intervention_Psychological
psycho-educational intervention
63243
Intervention_Psychological
psycho-educational intervention
63244
Intervention_Psychological
psycho-educational intervention in addition to standard care
63245
Intervention_Physical
control group received
63246
Intervention_Control
only standard care
63247
Intervention_Psychological
psycho-educational intervention
63248
Outcome_Adverse-effects
gastrointestinal problems
63249
Outcome_Pain
pain
63250
Outcome_Pain
pain
63251
Outcome_Physical
bone marrow suppression and body image
63252
Participant_Age
children
63253
Participant_Condition
cancer
63254
Participant_Age
children
63255
Participant_Condition
cancer
63256
Participant_Condition
cancer
63257
Participant_Age
children and adolescents
63258
Participant_Age
children
63259
Participant_Condition
cancer