RecruitingNot Applicable

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Caregivers of Children With a RASopathy: An Internal Pilot Feasibility Study and Follow-up Randomized Controlled Trial

United States70 participantsStarted 2024-01-10

Plain-language summary

Background: RASopathies are a group of genetic diseases that affect a child s development. They cause physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Caring for a child with a RASopathy can be stressful. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a therapy that helps people become more aware and accepting of difficult thoughts and feelings. ACT has been found to be helpful for parents with high parenting stress. Objective: To find out if Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help caregivers of children with a RASopathy better cope with parenting stress. Eligibility: People aged 18 years or older who care for a child (younger than 18 years) with a RASopathy. The child must live with the caregiver at least 50% of the time. Design: The study is fully remote. Participants need a mobile device that can play audio and video and connect to the internet. They can borrow an iPod if needed. Participants will download a free app called MetricWire. They will use this app to watch videos and answer questions. The first 8 participants will be in a pilot study. They will receive the ACT intervention starting the first week after they begin the study. After the pilot study, we will start a new phase called the randomized trial. In this phase, participants will have a 50-50 chance of being in the group that will start the intervention right away or the group that will start the intervention after about 2 months. Participants will fill out surveys on 5 random days each week. These surveys have 7 questions and take about 2 minutes. They will also fill out 3 longer questionnaires: once before ACT begins, once just after the 8-week study period, and once about 3 months later. Questions will cover topics including: Parenting stress Life satisfaction Self-compassion Uncomfortable feelings and thoughts Mindfulness Participants will take part in an 8-week ACT intervention. They will have one 75-minute session with an ACT coach in the first week. Participants will watch 9- to 17-minute videos each week. The videos talk about how to practice ACT techniques to cope with parenting stress. Participants will have 20- to 30-minute coaching sessions in weeks 3 and 6. The coach will help them practice exercises and work through any problems.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document * Ability to read and speak English * Age \>= 18 years * Caregiver (defined as parent or legal guardian) of a child (\< 18 years) with a diagnosis of a RASopathy syndrome including NF1, Noonan Syndrome, Legius Syndrome, CFC, and Costello Syndrome, or another RASopathy * The participant s child with a RASopathy must live with them at least 50% of the time * Access to necessary resources for participating in a technology-based intervention (i.e., computer, smartphone, internet access) or be willing to use an iPod provided by study team. * Must score a 15 or higher total score on modified questions from the Parental Stress Scale (PSS), indicating endorsement of the midpoint response on average and thus a moderate level of parenting stress. * Caregiver must not be participating in or planning to participate in psychosocial intervention primarily targeting parenting stress over the duration of the study. Caregivers are able to receive interventions for other mental health concerns as long as parenting stress is not the main focus of treatment. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Another caregiver in the same household is participating in this protocol. If two caregivers in the same household want to participate, we will inform them that one can enroll on the protocol and the other can receive the intervention materials (e.g., parent workbook, audio recordings) to practice on their own…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This trial is focused on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for caregivers — not a medical treatment for my child — so how do you think this kind of psychological support program might fit into our overall care plan right now?
2Since this is described as a feasibility and pilot study, what does that mean in terms of how well-established or tested this type of therapy program is for caregivers of kids with RASopathies like ours, and should that affect our decision about participating?
3The trial is measuring something called PSS — can you explain what that is and why tracking changes in it matters for caregivers of children with conditions like Noonan syndrome or neurofibromatosis?
4This is a randomized controlled trial, which means I might be assigned to a comparison group rather than the ACT therapy group — can you help me understand what that would involve and whether it would still be beneficial for me?
5Given that I'm already managing so much around my child's diagnosis, what do you know about the time commitment and format of this program — is it in-person, remote, or both — and do you think it's realistic for our situation right now?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Feasibility & Acceptability

Timeframe: 9 weeks

Changes in PSS

Timeframe: 9 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT05361811

SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)

Sponsor typeNIH

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-06-01

Contact for this trial

Staci M Peron, Ph.D.

(240) 760-6025 Staci.Martin@nih.gov

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Neurofibromatosis 1 trials