Enhancing Connections-Palliative Care: A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Feasibility Study of a Cancer Parenting Program

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Oncology
• Child Psychology
• Family Medicine

Background:

• Over 75,000 children annually face a parent's advanced cancer diagnosis.
• Limited programs exist to support families navigating advanced cancer together.
• The Enhancing Connections-Palliative Care (EC-PC) program addresses this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess the feasibility of the EC-PC parenting program (recruitment, enrollment, retention).
• Evaluate the short-term impact of EC-PC on parent and child outcomes.
• Explore the link between parental symptoms and program outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental design with historical controls.
• Five telephone-delivered behavioral intervention sessions for parents.
• Assessments at baseline and 3 months for parent and child psychological and behavioral outcomes.

Main Results:

• 62% of enrolled parents completed the program.
• Significant improvements observed in parents' self-efficacy and skills in supporting children.
• Comparable improvements to historical controls in parental mood, anxiety, and child adjustment.

Conclusions:

• The EC-PC parenting program demonstrates potential for enhancing parental support skills and confidence.
• The program shows promise in improving family functioning during advanced cancer.
• Further research is warranted to validate the EC-PC program's effectiveness.