Bringing a creative writing intervention for young adult cancer survivors online.

Abstract

166 Background: Studies show the importance of age-specific, young adult cancer (YAC) psychosocial interventions. They demonstrate psychological interventions “reduce emotional stress and increase coping skills needed to adjust to life after a cancer diagnosis."(Peckham JL, et al. JAYAO. 2017;6:50-52.) With YAC survivors spread around the country, many lack access to such interventions. This feasibility study considered online delivery of a structured, long term writing intervention in YAC survivors and the perceived participant benefit. Methods: Lacuna Loft held three structured, creative writing workshops over 10 weeks, 10 weeks, and 8 weeks. An online video chat platform delivered the workshops, allowing participant connection via video and voice. The workshop followed the methods used in Unspoken Ink.(Peckham JL, et al. JAYAO. 2017;6:50-52.) Each week used a different cancer topic and several prompts were given. Participants completed questionnaires at the start and end of each workshop. Results: Over three writing workshops, twenty-one people completed a workshop, five participated in multiple, and ninety expressed interest in future workshops. People from nine states and three countries participated. The online platform allowed writers to join from any location including the hospital. Participants expressed a decrease in feelings of isolation at the completion of a workshop as well as an increase in feelings of connection to other YAC survivors. All participants stated they would refer another YAC survivor to the workshop. The online nature of the program proved inconsequential. Conclusions: Research shows that structured writing workshops for YAC survivors “to explore their cancer experiences may be an effective psychosocial intervention.”(Peckham JL, et al. JAYAO. 2017;6:50-52.) This study used online video chat platform to deliver the workshop and connect participants. All participants expressed decreased feelings of isolation and increased feelings of connection to their YAC survivor peers at the conclusion. Most had never participated in an online group previous to this online workshop. Online delivery of structured writing interventions thus allows for more wide-spread accessibility of psychosocial interventions for YAC survivors.