Survivors Journey+: an online family program for teen and young adult brain tumor survivors
Online Problem-Solving Intervention for Brain Tumor Survivors: A Two-site, Two-arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
This project will test whether the Survivors Journey+ online program with weekly coaching helps teen and young adult pediatric brain tumor survivors (ages 15–25) and their caregivers manage everyday challenges better than an information-only website.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 72 (estimated) |
| Ages | 15 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 2 sites (Cincinnati, Ohio and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07321353 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot randomized controlled trial will enroll pediatric brain tumor survivors ages 15–25 who live with a parent or guardian and randomize family dyads to either the Survivors Journey+ (SJ+) online program with weekly coaching or an internet resource comparison (IRC). The SJ+ program is a developmentally tailored, family-centered digital intervention that teaches social problem-solving, emotion-regulation, and metacognitive skills for survivors while offering caregiver strategies to reduce depression and family impact. Outcomes include feasibility and acceptability benchmarks (enrollment, retention, satisfaction) and measures of survivor and caregiver wellbeing collected at baseline and about three months post-baseline. The protocol also includes refining usability and accessibility based on participant feedback.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking pediatric intracranial tumor survivors ages 15–25 who completed tumor-directed treatment more than 12 months ago, live with a parent or guardian, and can participate in online coaching.
Not a fit: Those unlikely to benefit include people treated less than 12 months ago, individuals with tuberous sclerosis or neurofibromatosis, significant psychiatric disorders or recent psychiatric hospitalization, those not living in the family home, or households where English is not the primary language.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, SJ+ could improve survivors' quality of life, problem-solving and emotion-regulation skills while reducing caregiver distress and family burden.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior interventions for cancer survivors or caregivers have shown promise, but family-centered, developmentally tailored online programs for pediatric brain tumor survivors are relatively novel and remain untested at scale.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * a diagnosis of a pediatric intracranial tumor * tumor-directed treatment completed \> 12 months ago (treatment included: surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy) * lives with parent/guardian(s) * language: English must be the primary spoken language in the home Exclusion Criteria: * history of tuberous sclerosis or neurofibromatosis * treatment \< 12 months ago and/or treatment did not include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy * history of psychiatric hospitalization * resides outside of the family home * history of autism, reactive attachment disorder, psychosis, or other psychiatric diagnoses/conditions associated with significant risk of harm to self or others per caregiver * English is not the primary language spoken in the home
Where this trial is running
Cincinnati, Ohio and 1 other locations
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center — Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
- Nationwide Children's Hospital — Columbus, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Shari L Wade, PhD — Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Shari L Wade, PhD
- Email: shari.wade@cchmc.org
- Phone: 513-636-3370
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.