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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06867640

Effects of Forgiveness-Based Group Psychoeducation Applied to Cancer Survivors

This study aims to examine the effects of forgiveness-based group psychoeducation applied to cancer survivors on fear of cancer recurrence, forgiveness and psychiatric symptoms.

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Survivors

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Gülhane Health Sciences Institute

Ankara, Keçiören, 06010, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

This study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental study with a pre-test-post-test and follow-up design to examine the effects of forgiveness-based group psychoeducation on fear of cancer recurrence, forgiveness and psychiatric symptoms of cancer survivors.

The aim is to evaluate the effects of a forgiveness-based psychoeducation program on cancer survivors. After the "Informed Voluntary Consent Form" is obtained from individuals who agree to participate in the study, the Introductory Information Form, Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Fear of Relapse Inventory and Brief Symptom Inventory will be applied. Pre-tests will be applied to the sample determined by an independent statistician. Then, participants will be divided into intervention and control groups by simple randomization method. Face-to-face forgiveness-based psychoeducation will be applied to the intervention group in 90-minute sessions once/twice a week, totaling 6 sessions. In the last session of psychoeducation, a post-test ("Introductory Information Form", "Heartland Forgiveness Scale", "Fear of Relapse Inventory" and "Brief Symptom Inventory") will be administered to both the intervention and control groups. The first follow-up test of the study will be administered to both the intervention and control groups 1 month after the post-test, and the second follow-up test of the study will be administered 3 months after the post-test. After the completion of the study and the measurements, it is planned to provide forgiveness-based psychoeducation to the participants in the control group.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Written and verbal consent to participate in the study
  • Understanding and speaking Turkish
  • Being over 18 years old
  • Not having any visual, hearing or mental disabilities
  • Having been diagnosed with cancer, treated with curative intent and having completed major treatments (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) within the last 5 years

Exclusion criteria

  • Not volunteering to participate in research
  • Having a visual, hearing or mental disability
  • Agreeing to participate in another psychoeducational program conducted simultaneously with the research
  • Inability to communicate in Turkish
  • Having previously received training in forgiveness and/or coping with fear of relapse

Treatment and study plan

Forgiveness-Based Group Psychoeducation

Other

The effect of forgiveness-based group psychoeducation applied to cancer survivors on fear of cancer recurrence, forgiveness and psychiatric conditions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Heartland Forgiveness Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, 6 th week, 1st month follow-up, 3rd month follow-up) (Pre-test-post-test follow-up experimental design)

    The scale, which evaluates the level of forgiveness and consists of 18 items, consists of three sub-dimensions: "forgiveness of self", "forgiveness of others" and "forgiveness of the situation". The items of the Likert-type scale are evaluated according to a 7-point evaluation scale and the evaluation is answered as "does not reflect me at all" (1 point), "does not reflect me very much" (3 points), "reflects me a little" (5 points) and "reflects me completely" (7 points). Items 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 in the scale items are scored reversely. The scale is evaluated according to total and sub-scale scores and there is no cut-off score. High scores obtained from each of the sub-dimensions of the scale indicate a high or low level of forgiveness in the relevant sub-dimension. The total forgiveness score is formed by summing the scores of the sub-dimensions of the scale.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Brief Symptom Inventory

    Time frame: Baseline, 6th week, 1st month follow-up, 3rd month follow-up) (Pre-test-post-test follow-up experimental design)

    It is a Likert-type scale and the items are scored by rating them between 0 and 4, with the statements "not at all" and "a lot". People who will fill out the scale are asked to read each item separately and indicate how much each of these symptoms has bothered them in the last week, including that day. When the total for each subscale is divided by the number of items in that subscale, a score for that dimension is obtained. Brief Symptom Inventory subscale dimensions and items; anxiety; items 12, 13, 28, 31, 32, 36, 38, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 49; depression; items 9, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 27, 35, 37, 39; negative self; Items 15, 21, 22, 24, 26, 34, 44, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53; somatization; items 2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 23, 29, 30, 33; hostality; items 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 40, 41.

  2. Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory

    Time frame: Baseline, 6th week, 1st month follow-up, 3rd month follow-up) (Pre-test-post-test follow-up experimental design)

    The scale, which has a five-point Likert structure, consists of 42 items and 7 sub-dimensions. These sub-dimensions are; triggers (items 1-8 and 9-17), psychological distress (items 18-21), functional disorders (items 22-27), insight (items 28-30), self-relaxation methods (items 31-33), coping methods (items 34-42). The scale, which does not have any cut-off point, is scored as 0-4 points. It is obtained by adding the questions in each sub-dimension straight, except for question 43. The total scores that can be obtained from the scale are between 0-168, and as the score increases, it is judged that the fear of relapse increases.

Other outcomes

  1. Introductory Information Form

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st month follow-up, 3rd month follow-up (Pre-test-post-test follow-up experimental design)

    It was created by the researchers in line with the literature information in order to determine the participants' sociodemographic (age, gender, marital status, education level, etc.) and diagnosis-treatment process-related characteristics.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hilal Merve Belen

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Forgiveness-Based Group Psychoeducation Applied to Cancer Survivors on Fear of Cancer Recurrence, Forgiveness and Psychiatric Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 10, 2025
Registry last updated
Aug 5, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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