The psychosocial needs and risks of children with cancer and their families are
well-documented in the literature, including the increased risk of parental distress,
posttraumatic stress, and anxiety. There is a critical need to provide evidence-based
psychosocial care to parents and caregivers of children with cancer (PCCC), although many
challenges exist regarding in-person intervention delivery. eHealth interventions
represent an exciting potential opportunity to address many of the barriers to in-person
intervention delivery in this population, but are not yet widely utilized in pediatric
psychosocial cancer care. The COVID-19 pandemic has further illuminated the need for
flexible, acceptable, and accessible eHealth psychosocial interventions.
The Electronic Surviving Cancer Competently Intervention Program (eSCCIP) is an
innovative eHealth intervention for PCCC, delivered through a combination of self-guided
interactive online content and telehealth follow-up with a therapist. eSCCIP aims to
decrease symptoms of acute distress, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress while improving
coping abilities by delivering evidence-based therapeutic content through a flexible,
easily accessible eHealth tool. The intervention is delivered to one or two PCCC per
family, but content is designed to apply to the whole family system. eSCCIP is grounded
in principles of cognitive-behavioral and family systems therapy and is adapted from two
efficacious in-person interventions for caregivers of children with cancer, the Surviving
Cancer Competently Intervention Program (SCCIP) and the Surviving Cancer Competently
Intervention Program - Newly Diagnosed (SCCIP-ND). eSSCIP has been rigorously developed
through a stakeholder-engaged development process involving close collaboration with
PCCC, content experts in pediatric oncology and eHealth, and web design and development
experts. A Spanish language adaptation of eSCCIP, El Programa Electronico de Intervencion
para Superar Cancer Competentemente (eSCCIP-SP), has recently been developed following a
rigorous process and is now ready for testing as well. The self-guided online modules of
eSCCIP/eSCCIP-SP feature a mix of didactic video content, novel multifamily video
discussion groups featuring parents of children with cancer, and hands-on interactive
activities. P
The objective of the proposed study is to test eSCCIP/eSCCIP-SP in a rigorous, multisite
RCT compared to an education control condition. The primary study endpoint is a reduction
in acute distress from baseline to post-intervention, with secondary endpoints focused on
reductions in symptoms of posttraumatic stress and anxiety ,and improvements in coping
self-efficacy and cognitive coping. Data will be collected at three timepoints (baseline,
post-intervention, and three-month follow-up). An additional, exploratory aim will be
focused on implementation strategies and potential costs and cost-savings of
eSCCIP/eSCCIP-SP, laying the groundwork for future trials focused on dissemination and
implementation, stepped-care models, and intervention refinement.
