Development and evaluation of a WeChat-based life review programme for patients with cancer: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION:Patients with cancer often suffer from considerable distress. Life review is a process of recalling, evaluating and integrating life experiences to alleviate a sense of despair and achieve self-integrity. Empirical data have supported the fact that life review is an effective psychological intervention, but it is not always accessible to patients with cancer. There is little evidence of internet-based life review programmes tailored to patients with cancer. This study aims to develop a WeChat-based life review programme and evaluate its effectiveness on the psycho-spiritual well-being of patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:A single-centre randomised parallel group superiority design will be used. Patients with cancer will be randomised, to either a control group, or to an experimental group receiving a 6-week WeChat-based life review programme. The programme, which was mainly developed based on Erikson's psycho-social development theory and Reed's self-transcendence theory, provides synchronous and asynchronous communication modes for patients to review their life. The former is real-time communication, providing an e-life review interview guided by a facilitator online. The latter is not simultaneously dialogic and is used to interact with patients before and after a life review interview through Memory Prompts, Review Extraction, Mind Space and E-legacy products. The primary outcomes include anxiety, depression and self-transcendence, and the secondary outcomes are meaning in life and hope. These will be measured at baseline, and immediately, at 3 months, and at 6 months after the programme's conclusion. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:Ethics approval has been obtained from the Biological and Medical Research Ethics Committee of the corresponding author's university (IRB Ref No: 2016/00020). The trial results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:ChiCTR-IOR-17011998.

journal_name

BMJ Open

journal_title

BMJ open

authors

Zhang X,Xiao H

doi

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020239

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2018-12-06 00:00:00

pages

e020239

issue

12

issn

2044-6055

pii

bmjopen-2017-020239

journal_volume

8

pub_type

杂志文章

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