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Moderators of intervention efficacy for Finding My Way: A web-based psychosocial intervention for cancer-related distress

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Abstract

Purpose

The present analysis explores whether demographic, psychosocial, or intervention adherence factors moderated treatment efficacy of Finding My Way (FMW), an efficacious self-directed web-based psychosocial program for newly diagnosed curatively treated cancer patients.

Methods

Participants (n = 191) completed a 6-module intervention (n = 94) or attention-control (n = 97) program. Outcome measures were completed at baseline (T0), post-program (T1), 3-month (T2), and 6-month (T3) follow ups. Age, gender, social support, information processing style (monitoring vs blunting), emotion-regulation difficulties, and intervention adherence were examined as potential moderators.

Results

Age moderated emotional functioning and general distress at T3 with significant intervention benefits only observed in younger participants; age moderated cognitive functioning at T1, with intervention benefits only found in older participants. Gender moderated helplessness/hopelessness, emotional functioning, and cognitive avoidance at T1 with men benefitting more from receiving the intervention vs control. Monitoring information-processing style moderated cancer distress and anxious preoccupation at T3: higher monitors benefitted more from receiving the intervention vs control. Program adherence moderated global QOL, emotional functioning and social functioning at T2 and T3; cognitive avoidance (T1), anxious preoccupation (T2) and role function (T3), with those who completed more of the program benefitting more if they received the intervention than control. Emotion dysregulation and social support each moderated role function at T2, with those more dysregulated and less socially supported benefitting more if they received the intervention than control.

Conclusions

For select outcomes, FMW is more effective for patients with specific characteristics; these findings can inform future tailoring and targeting of online programs for cancer-distress.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council (Grant No. 1042942). Dr Lisa Beatty is funded by a Cancer Council SA Fellowship. We would like to thank Dr Joseph Coll for conducting all the project’s statistical analyses, and our late colleague and co-investigator, Mr Paul Katris, for his invaluable support and input into the Finding My Way project. The Finding My Way authorship group includes: Professor Tracey Wade, Ms Caroline Richards, Mr Michael Fitzgerald, Professor Desmond Yip, Dr. Sarah McKinnon, Ms. Simone Noelker, Dr. Louise Gorman, Ms. Bernadette Zappa, Ms. Judy Allen, Ms. Sally Sara, Ms. Lisa Mackenzie, Mr. Edward Craft, Ms. Kathryn Stafford, Ms. Ruby Lipson-Smith, and Ms. Rose Kamateros.

Thank you to consumer representative Ms Julie Marker (Cancer Voices SA), who reviewed the concept outline/protocol, assisted with the intervention development phase, and provided input with recruitment throughout the study. We also thank Breast Cancer Network Australia and Register4, and their staff, for assistance with recruitment.

Thank you to the men and women who participated in this trial, we hope you found, and continue to find, the program helpful.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

    Lisa Beatty, Emma Kemp & Bogda Koczwara

  2. Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia

    Lisa Beatty, Emma Kemp & Bogda Koczwara

  3. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Jane Turner

  4. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Phyllis Butow

  5. Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia

    Donna Milne

  6. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Patsy Yates

  7. McGill University, Montreal, Canada

    Sylvie Lambert

  8. Smiling Mind, Abbotsford, Australia

    Addie Wootten

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  1. Lisa Beatty
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Correspondence to Lisa Beatty.

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Beatty, L., Kemp, E., Turner, J. et al. Moderators of intervention efficacy for Finding My Way: A web-based psychosocial intervention for cancer-related distress. Support Care Cancer 29, 7669–7678 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06291-w

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