Support and Healing Intervention for Adolescents With a Parent Diagnosed With Cancer (SHINE)

A parental cancer diagnosis can significantly affect the emotional and psychological well-being of children and adolescents. Youth experiencing parental cancer are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, stress, communication difficulties, and impaired coping. Despite these challenges, relatively few evidence-based psychosocial interventions have been developed specifically for this population, and many existing interventions have not incorporated input from adolescents and families during development.

The SHINE (Support and Healing Intervention for Navigating Parental Cancer Experiences) study is a mixed-methods investigation designed to develop and pilot-test a family-centered psychosocial intervention for adolescents ages 10-17 whose parent has been diagnosed with Stage I-IV cancer.

The study consists of two sequential phases.

Aim 1 uses qualitative focus groups with parents and individual interviews with adolescents to identify priority psychosocial needs related to parental cancer, including age-appropriate information, family communication, coping strategies, peer support, emotional expression, and ongoing supportive care. Findings from these interviews will be used to refine the SHINE intervention, and a subset of families will participate in additional feedback sessions to finalize intervention materials.

Aim 2 is a pilot randomized controlled trial enrolling approximately 40 families (one parent with cancer and one adolescent child per family). Following completion of baseline assessments, families will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the SHINE intervention or usual supportive care. The SHINE intervention is a modular psychosocial program delivered over approximately 8 weeks through approximately four sessions that may be conducted in person or virtually using HIPAA-compliant platforms.

Primary objectives are to evaluate the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and intervention adherence, as well as participant acceptability and satisfaction. Secondary objectives are to estimate the preliminary effects of SHINE on adolescent psychosocial outcomes, including illness perceptions, coping, resilience, stress, depression, anxiety, peer relationships, family functioning, and communication. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately following the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up using validated patient-reported outcome measures.

The results of this pilot study will provide feasibility data and preliminary effect size estimates to support future fully powered clinical trials evaluating psychosocial interventions for families affected by parental cancer.

Inclusion criteria

Parent or caregiver aged 18 years or older with a documented diagnosis of Stage I-IV (or equivalent) cancer.

Parent or caregiver has at least one adolescent child between the ages of 10 and 17 years living in the household.

Parent/caregiver and adolescent are able to communicate in English or Spanish. Parent or caregiver is willing and able to provide informed consent, and the adolescent is willing and able to provide assent.

Family is willing and able to participate in study procedures, including intervention sessions and study assessments.

Exclusion criteria

Adolescent younger than 10 years or older than 17 years. Parent/caregiver or adolescent unable to communicate in English or Spanish. Parent/caregiver or adolescent with significant cognitive impairment or developmental delay that would prevent meaningful participation in study procedures.

Family unable or unwilling to complete study procedures or follow-up assessments.

Parent/caregiver unwilling or unable to provide informed consent, or adolescent unwilling or unable to provide assent.