Intimacy-Enhancing Couples' Intervention for Localized Prostate Cancer

October 17, 2022 updated by: Sharon Manne, PhD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

RATIONALE: Participating in a therapy program may enhance communication and intimacy between men with prostate cancer and their partners.

PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well therapy enhances communication and intimacy for men with early stage prostate cancer and for their partners.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Aim 1 A. To evaluate the impact of an Intimacy-Enhancing Couples' intervention (IEC) versus a General Health and Wellness Intervention (GHW) and a Usual care control (UC) on patient and partner psychological and relationship outcomes.

B. To determine whether relationship length, pre-intervention relationship satisfaction, and men's pre-intervention masculinity moderate the effects of IEC on couples' psychological and relationship outcomes

Aim 2 A. To evaluate whether IEC has an effect on couples' communication and intimacy when compared with GHW and UC and to determine whether changes in relationship communication and intimacy mediate changes in couples' psychological and relationship outcomes.

Exploratory Aim:

A. To evaluate the impact of IEC versus GHW on physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake as well as each partner's support for the other partner's adoption of greater physical activity and more fruit and vegetable intake.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
483

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New Jersey
      • New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, 08903
        • Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
      • Newark, New Jersey, United States, 07103
        • The University Hospital
      • Whippany, New Jersey, United States, 07981
        • Garden State Urology
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10022
        • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19111
        • Fox Chase Cancer Center
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient has a primary diagnosis of localized prostate cancer (T1, T2, N=0 M=0, T3 N=0 M=0)
  • Patient had surgery or initiated radiation treatment (brachytherapy or external beam radiation) or began pre-radiation Androgen deprivation therapy within the past 12 months.
  • Patient is currently married or living with a partner, with relationship duration at least 1 year
  • Patient and partner live within a 1 hour commuting distance to recruitment site
  • Patient and partner read and speak English
  • Patient has an Impact of Events Scale (IES) score greater than or equal to 16 and/or partner has an IES score greater than or equal to 17.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient had a previous definitive treatment for prostate cancer
  • Patient has a concurrent diagnosis of another cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer)
  • Partner is diagnosed with cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer)
  • Patient or partner have a significant hearing impairment

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Intimacy-Enhancing Couples
Patients and their partners receive communication and intimacy-enhancing intervention (IEC) once a week comprising the following five 90-minute sessions: Orientation and Stories of the Cancer Experience; Communication and Listening to Partner's concerns; Communication and Coping with Cancer Issues as a Team; Being Supportive to Solve Concerns; and Reflecting on Changes and Future Adaptation.
Other: questionnaire administration
Other: counseling intervention
Other: communication intervention
Active Comparator: General Health and Wellness
Patients and their partners receive a General Health and Wellness intervention focusing on nutrition and physical activity once a week comprising of five 90-minute sessions: Introduction and Nutrition Basics; Nutrition and Prevention of Recurrence; Nutritional Review and Introduction to Relaxation; Physical Activity Basics; Aerobics and Resistance Exercises and Wrap up.
Other: questionnaire administration
Other: counseling intervention
Other: nutrition intervention
Other: Usual Care
Patients and their partners receive standard psychological and emotional care (usual care [UC]) (i.e., social work consultations and referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist, if requested or deemed necessary by the attending physician).
Other: questionnaire administration

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Psychological Functioning
Time Frame: 5 years
General psychological functioning is assessed by the MHI-38 and the PHQ-9. Cancer-Specific distress is assessed by using the Impact of Events Scale Revised Cancer-Specific concerns is assessed with a 10 item assessment of commonly-experienced problems.
5 years
Relationship Functioning
Time Frame: 5 years
Relationship satisfaction is assessed using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale
5 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Intimacy
Time Frame: 5 years
General Relationship Intimacy. The Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships Intimacy scale (PAIR) (94) is a 6 item scale assessing emotional closeness. Cancer-specific Relationship Intimacy (95-96) Participants rate the degree to which they felt close to and emotionally intimate with their partner during discussions about the cancer experience.
5 years
Relationship Communication
Time Frame: 5 years

Perceived self-disclosure. The scale assesses the degree to which they disclose thoughts, information, and feelings about the cancer experience in the past week.

Perceived partner disclosure. The scale assesses the degree to which their partner disclosed thoughts, information, and feelings.

Perceived partner responsiveness. The scale assesses the degree to which the participant felt their partner understood and empathized with their disclosures.Mutual Constructive Communication. This subscale of the Communication Pattern Questionnaire (CPQ) is a 5-item scale that has been adapted.

Holding back. Participants rate the degree to which they held back from talking to their partner about 11 domains of concern.

Demand-Withdraw. The CPQ Demand-Withdraw subscale is a 6-item scale adapted.

Mutual Avoidance. The CPQ Mutual Avoidance subscale is an adapted 6-item scale.
5 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sharon L Manne, Ph.D., Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 18, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 7, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 7, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 24, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 5, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 13, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 19, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 17, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 0220100274 (Other Identifier: IRB number)
  • NCI-2012-00552 (Other Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trails Reporting Program))
  • 131023 (Other Identifier: Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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