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A Study of a One-Time Counseling Session to Help Reduce Depression, Anxiety, and Distress in People With Cancer

Piloting Single Session Consultation for Cancer (SSC-C) to Alleviate Distress Among Cancer Patients

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests whether one 60-minute counseling session can ease depression, anxiety, and emotional stress and improve quality of life for people with cancer. It is for adults waiting for ongoing counseling at the MSK Counseling Center. Researchers will also check whether the session is practical for people to complete.

The purpose of this study is to see if a Single Counseling Session for Cancer can help reduce psychosocial distress and improve quality of life in people with cancer who are waiting to receive ongoing counseling services (outpatient psychotherapy services). The Single Counseling Session for Cancer-which I will refer to as the "study counseling" during this call-is a one-session, 60-minute counseling program designed to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in people with cancer who are waiting to receive outpatient psychotherapy services. The researchers will look at whether the study counseling is effective in participants and practical (feasible) for them to complete.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be age 18 or older.
  • Have cancer confirmed by a lab test and listed in your medical record. The cancer may be in one area or advanced.
  • Be on a waitlist of at least 2 weeks for a first visit at the MSK Counseling Center.
  • Speak English very well.
  • Agree to have your voice recorded.
  • Live in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Florida.

Who can't join

  • Have a first visit with a clinical psychologist before the study counseling session.
  • Have already had, or be scheduled for, a visit with an MSK psychiatrist or an MSK Counseling Center advanced practice provider, such as a nurse practitioner.
  • Have severe mental health symptoms that prevent you from completing study tasks or giving informed consent, meaning you understand and agree to join.
  • Have problems with memory or thinking, such as dementia or a brain injury, that prevent you from understanding and agreeing to join or providing study information.
  • Currently have thoughts of suicide or wishes to be dead, even without plans to act.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient must have pathologically confirmed cancer (per EMR). * Patient with localized or advanced cancer (per EMR). * Patient is on a waitlist of at least 2 weeks or more for MSK Counseling Center intake and will not complete a New Visit with a clinical psychologist prior to intervention (these patients will be replaced) (per EMR, patient's care team, or self-report) * Has not had and is not scheduled to have an appointment with an MSK psychiatrist or MSK Counseling Center advanced practice provider (per EMR, patient's care team, or self-report) * Age ≥ 18 (per EMR) * English fluency - Per self-report: How well do you speak English? * Agrees to be audio-recorded (per self-report) NOTE: Participants who report Very well are considered fluent. * Lives in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Florida (per self-report). * Has no significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient to preclude completion of the assessment measures, interview, or informed consent (i.e., acute psychiatric symptoms which require urgent or extended individual treatment) (per EMR, patient's care team, or study team). * Has no presence of cognitive impairment disorder (i.e., delirium, dementia, or traumatic brain injury) sufficient to preclude meaningful informed consent and/or data collection (per EMR, patient's care team, study team, or per self-report of BOMC cognitive test). * Has no current active or passive suicidal ideation ((per EMR, patient's care team, study team, per item 9 of the PHQ-9, or the CSSRS).

Study sites (7)

NJ

NY