Hope and benefit finding: Results from the PRISM randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Psychosocial Oncology
• Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Health
• Cancer Survivorship

Background:

• Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face significant psychosocial challenges.
• Lack of developed coping skills may contribute to poor outcomes in AYAs with cancer.
• The Promoting Resilience in Stress Management (PRISM) intervention previously showed benefits in resilience, quality of life, and distress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of the PRISM intervention on specific coping skills in AYAs with cancer.
• To assess improvements in hopeful thinking, benefit finding, and goal setting.
• To determine if PRISM enhances adaptive coping mechanisms for long-term psychosocial well-being.

Main Methods:

• A parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 92 AYAs (12-25 years old) with cancer.
• Participants were randomized to either the PRISM intervention or usual care (UC).
• Standardized scales and qualitative assessments were used to measure coping skills at baseline and 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The PRISM group showed significant improvements in benefit finding (P=0.05) and hopeful thinking (P=0.01) compared to usual care.
• Moderate-to-large effect sizes were observed for improvements in benefit finding (d=0.4) and hope (d=0.6).
• No significant changes were detected in goal setting skills within the study period.

Conclusions:

• The PRISM intervention effectively enhanced benefit finding and hopeful thinking in AYAs with cancer.
• These improvements in adaptive coping skills may serve to mitigate long-term psychosocial risks.
• PRISM shows promise as a supportive intervention for young cancer patients navigating illness-related stressors.