“IT JUST MADE ME FEEL BETTER”: QUALITATIVE EXAMINATION OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A NOVEL VIRTUAL PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR
ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER
Abstract
Background: Adolescents with cancer routinely report feelings
of isolation and exclusion, including from medical decision-making. To
address this problem and support adolescents, we designed and
implemented into clinical practice the novel, virtual, weekly
Teens4Teens peer support group and patient education program.
Objective: We examined the views of participating adolescents,
program guest speakers, and program moderators as they pertained to the
need for the program and its feasibility, acceptability, and perceived
impact. Methods: We recruited all available adolescents,
moderators, and guest speakers who participated in Teens4Teens to take
part in audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were
transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: We conducted 21 interviews across participant groups.
We identified four broad themes: pathways into the Teen4Teens program,
Teens4Teens implementation capacity, perspectives of the positive impact
of Teens4Teens and suggestions to improve Teens4Teens. These themes
described a perceived need for adolescent-centered psychosocial
programing in pediatric cancer care, provided lessons on how best to
build and apply such a program in practice, and highlighted the value of
the program for both adolescents and clinicians’ acceptability,
feasibility, and perceived utility. Conclusion: Adolescents,
guest speakers, and moderators valued Teens4Teens and made suggestions
to retain or improve capacity to routinely implement the program.
Adolescent-tailored psychosocial programming such as Teens4Teens is
positioned to be integrated into clinical care with relative ease and
may serve to improve the cancer care experience of adolescents and their
families.