ABSTRACT
Background
Black and African American cancer survivors may experience elevated distress yet remain underrepresented in psychosocial intervention research and face cultural, institutional, and practical barriers to supportive care engagement.
Aims
This single-arm pre–post mixed methods study evaluated feasibility and acceptability of a group coping skills program, Mind Over Matter (MOM), among Black and African American women with cancer (#NCT06168825). Secondary aims included estimating preliminary changes in patient-reported outcomes to inform the design and power calculations of a future randomized trial.
Methods
MOM is a 5-week, group-based psychoeducational program grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to address cancer-related distress. Participants were recruited through community partners, healthcare systems, and social media. Outcomes were assessed at enrollment and 6 weeks and included anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms. Feasibility was evaluated through participation and completion rates, while acceptability was assessed using home practice engagement, satisfaction ratings, delivery preference, and telehealth usability.
Results
From January—April 2024, 78 women expressed interest, 39 (50.0%) consented (74.3% breast cancer, 49.7% diagnosed ≤ 2 years), 36 initiated the program, and 26 (72.2%) completed MOM. Most participants (96.2%) practiced coping skills weekly, and 96.2% planned to continue using them. On a 7-point scale, 73.1% selected the highest satisfaction rating. Telehealth usability was high (M = 5.7/7), with 61.5% preferring virtual delivery and 26.9% reporting no format preference. Anxiety and depression symptoms decreased significantly, with no significant change in physical symptom severity or interference.
Conclusions
MOM is feasible and acceptable for Black and African American women with cancer. Intentional recruitment, culturally responsive design, and telehealth delivery were critical to engagement. Findings support further testing in larger controlled trials.
Trial Registration
NCT06168825.