Improving a smartphone toolkit to help adolescent and young adult cancer survivors manage depression
Official title: R00 Full Factorial Trial: Optimizing ASCENT
Run by East Carolina University · NCT07173205 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test parts of a digital toolkit to see which pieces help adolescent and young adult cancer survivors reduce symptoms of depression.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 15 Years to 39 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 208 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | East Carolina University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Greenville, North Carolina and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 25, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | March 2027 |
| Registry record updated | January 7, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07173205 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adolescent and young adult cancer survivors aged 15–39 who were diagnosed during adolescence or young adulthood, completed treatment 1 month to 5 years ago, and own a smartphone with a data plan.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe or persistent mental illness, those with severe suicidal ideation (plan and intent), non-English speakers, or those without a smartphone or outside the eligible post-treatment window are unlikely to benefit from this digital optimization.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study will enroll adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors who are 15–39 years old and finished treatment 1 month to 5 years ago to use a digital intervention called the ASCENT toolkit. The toolkit includes a psychoeducation module plus four evidence-based therapeutic components, and the trial will systematically test individual components and combinations to determine which drive improvements in depressive symptoms. Participants will use the intervention on their smartphones and complete standardized self-report measures of mood over the study period. Investigators will analyze which components or combinations produce the largest, clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms among AYAs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce a personalized, smartphone-based toolkit that reduces depressive symptoms and improves coping for AYA cancer survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Digital interventions and evidence-based components for depression have shown benefit in prior trials, but optimizing which components work best specifically for AYA cancer survivors is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age at enrollment (adolescents 15-17, emerging adults 18-25, young adults 26-39) * Age at diagnosis (adolescents 12-17, emerging adults 15-25, young adults 15-39) * Time since completion of treatment: 1 month to 5 years * Language: Fluent in English (spoken and written) * Technology: Own smart phone with data plan Exclusion Criteria: * Mental Health: Current diagnosis of severe or persistent mental illness * Suicidality: Severe suicidal ideation (including plan and intent)
Where it's running
-
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Karly M Murphy, PhD — East Carolina University
- Study coordinator: AnneMarie Coffey, BS
- Email: coffeya23@ecu.edu
- Phone: 252-328-6244
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.