A Multi-Site Refinement Study of Taking Back Control Together, an Intervention to Support Parents Confronted with Childhood Cancer.

Abstract

A child's cancer diagnosis profoundly impacts the psychological well-being of parents. To alleviate parental distress, researchers developed Taking Back Control Together (TBCT), a manualized six-session program targeting individual problem-solving skills and dyadic coping. The current study aimed to refine TBCT for future uptake across different sites. We invited potential interventionists and local stakeholders from three pediatric oncology centers (CHU Sainte-Justine, CHU de Sherbrooke, and CHU de Québec) to join the refinement team. The final working team comprised 26 professionals, including social workers, psychologists, researchers, coordinators, and parent-partners. The study included eight 50- to 90-min discussion sessions designed to stimulate conversation and facilitate the exchange of ideas and perspectives. We used framework analysis to identify and describe patterns within the qualitative data. The data were organized into three categories: (1) intervention description, which addresses changes in personnel, modes of delivery, and tailoring to accommodate different family structures; (2) content modifications, which include language simplification and visual enhancements; and (3) factors influencing TBCT's future uptake, such as accessibility, participant satisfaction, clinician compensation, and flexibility in program delivery. The direct output of this research is a refined program with an updated manual, tools, and format adapted for use in different sites.