Finding meaning and support for people caring for loved ones with advanced cancer
Official title: Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy to Meet Palliative Care Needs of Cancer Caregivers
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11304532 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a psychotherapy program to help people who care for loved ones with advanced cancer reduce existential distress and feel more supported.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $452,760 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285621-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304532 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult family members or close friends who provide care for someone with advanced, life-limiting cancer and who are experiencing caregiving burden or existential distress are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not actively providing care for an advanced cancer patient, who do not want psychotherapy, or who have uncontrolled severe psychiatric conditions may not receive benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you are caring for someone with advanced cancer, this program uses an approach called Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy that has been adapted for caregivers. You would join guided sessions aimed at addressing feelings of meaninglessness, anxiety, and caregiver burden and at supporting communication and advance care planning. The research team will track changes in mood, quality of life, and bereavement-related outcomes over time. Participation may include individual or group sessions and follow-up contacts to see how caregivers are doing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce anxiety and depression, boost a sense of meaning and purpose, and improve quality of life for caregivers.
How similar studies have gone: Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy has helped reduce existential distress in patients with cancer, and adapting it for caregivers is promising though less extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Applebaum, Allison — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Applebaum, Allison
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.