A pilot feasibility study of a group-delivered cancer parenting program: Enhancing Connections-Group

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and short-term impact of a 5-session fully manualized, group-delivered cancer parenting education program to diagnosed parents or surrogate parents with a school-age child.

Single group, pre-post-test design with intent to treat analysis.

A total of 16 parents completed the program who were diagnosed within 12 months with non-metastatic cancer of any type (Stages 0-III), read and wrote English, had a child 5-17 years old who knew the parent's diagnosis.

Assessments occurred at baseline and at 2 months post-baseline on standardized measures of parental depressed mood, anxiety, parenting self-efficacy, parenting quality, parenting skills and child behavioral-emotional adjustment.

The program was feasible and well accepted: 16/18 (89%) of the enrolled participants were included in the intent to treat analysis. Program staff were consistently positive and enthusiastic about the demonstrated skills they observed in group attendees during the group-delivered sessions, including the emergence of support between attendees. Outcomes on all measures improved between baseline and post-intervention; changes were statistically significant on measures of parents' anxiety, parents' self-efficacy, parents' skills, and parenting quality.

The group-delivered Enhancing Connections cancer parenting program has potential to improve behavioral-emotional outcomes on standardized measures of skills and emotional adjustment in parents, parent-surrogates and children. Future testing is warranted.

After a brief training, a fully manualized cancer parenting program can enhance parenting competencies and parent-reported child outcomes.