"Resilient Caregivers"-A Randomized Trial of a Resilience-Based Intervention for Psychologically Distressed Partner Caregivers of Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Intimate partners of cancer patients often experience significant distress. We examined the effectiveness of the "Resilient Caregivers" group intervention for improving psychological outcomes among distressed partner caregivers in a randomized trial (Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT04610034).

METHODS

Participants were recruited through an oncology department and two cancer counseling centers in Denmark. Partners of patients receiving cancer treatment and experiencing distress (> 4 on the distress thermometer) were eligible and randomized 1:1 to either the intervention or usual care, stratified by sex and age (≤/> 50 years). "Resilient Caregivers" consists of seven manualized sessions developed according to a resilience framework focusing on meta-reflective skills, coping strategies and values clarification in relation to being a partner of a patient with cancer. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months assessing anxiety (primary outcome) and depression, distress, stress, resilience, quality of life and sleep quality. Intervention effects were analyzed using mixed models for repeated measures.

RESULTS

Between April 2021 and May 2023, 79 partners were included (39 intervention, 40 control). Most were female (74%), above 50 years old (80%) and had at least a bachelor's degree (86%). There were significant improvements in anxiety at 12 months (mean difference: -2.5, 95% confidence interval: -4.6 to -0.4, p = 0.018), and depression and quality of life at 3 months. Between-group differences were not significant for other outcomes. Satisfaction was high and participants valued the group format.

CONCLUSIONS

"Resilient Caregivers" showed encouraging findings and may be a potentially cost-effective approach to providing support to partner caregivers.