AUTHOR=García-Torres Francisco , Gómez-Solís Ángel , Rubio García Sebastián , Castillo-Mayén Rosario , González Ruíz-Ruano Verónica , Moreno Eliana , Moriana Juan Antonio , Luque-Salas Bárbara , Jaén-Moreno María José , Cuadrado-Hidalgo Fátima , Gálvez-Lara Mario , Jablonski Marcin , Rodríguez-Alonso Beatriz , Aranda Enrique 

TITLE=Efficacy of a Combined Acceptance and Commitment Intervention to Improve Psychological Flexibility and Associated Symptoms in Cancer Patients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.871929

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.871929

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Psychological flexibility is a key concept of aceptation and commitment therapy. In cancer patients, it mediates with the psychological well-being and associated factors such as quality of life. Previous research have shown positive resuls of aceptation and commitment therapy in cancer patients but using mhealth tools may help to enhance these positive results in cancer settings. A three-arm randomized superiority clinical trial, with a pre-post-follow-up repeated measures intergroup design with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio is proposed. A hundred and twenty cancer patients will be randomly assigned to one of the following interventions: (1) face-to-face ACT + app (2) face-to-face ACT and (3) Waitlist control group. The primary outcome is to observe significant improvements in psychological flexibility (AAQ-II) in the face-to-face ACT + app group, after comparing baseline and post-treatment scores, and the scores will remain stables in the two assessment points, 3 and 6 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes are significant changes in anxiety and depression (HADS), quality of life (EORTC QLQ C-30), insomnia (ISI), fatigue (BFI) and post-traumatic-growth (PTGI-SF) in the same assessment points. Also, it is expected that the scores of this group will be higher than the scores of the face-to-face ACT group and the waitlist control group. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a combined intervention (face-to face ACT + app) for psychological flexibility and associated symptoms in cancer patients. The results of this protocol may help to consider the use of aceptation and commitment therapy and mhealth applications in cancer settings as a valid therapeutic choice.