Randomized trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for anxious cancer survivors in community clinics: Outcomes and moderators

Objective: Anxiety symptoms are common among cancer survivors. This study evaluated whether an acceptance-based group intervention delivered by social workers in community oncology clinics improved anxiety and related symptoms, and healthcare use, relative to enhanced usual care (EUC).

Method: This multi-site trial included 135 survivors of various cancers with moderate to high anxiety about cancer/survivorship, 1.5–24 months after treatment. Participants were randomized 1:1 to a 7-session acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based group (Valued Living) or EUC (access to onsite supportive care plus resource list). Questionnaires were administered at baseline, 1, 2, 5, and 8 months post-randomization, diagnostic interviews at baseline, 2, and 8 months, and healthcare use tracked throughout. Outcomes included anxiety symptoms (primary), related symptoms, and healthcare use. Putative moderators included age, anxiety, and avoidance.

Results: In intent-to-treat comparisons to EUC, Valued Living (VL) showed a nonsignificant pattern of greater improvement on anxiety symptoms (p = .08), improved significantly more on cancer-related post-traumatic stress (p = .002), fear of recurrence (p = .003), and energy/fatigue (p = .02), and missed significantly fewer medical appointments (p < .05). Conditions improved similarly on depressive symptoms, sense of meaning, and most severe anxiety or depressive disorder. Effects were moderated: VL participants with higher baseline anxiety or avoidance (+1SD) improved more on anxiety, meaning (ps ≤ .01), and disorder severity (p = .05) than their EUC counterparts.

Conclusions: An acceptance-based group intervention delivered in community oncology clinics enhanced psychological recovery and energy levels, and reduced missed medical appointments for anxious cancer survivors, with stronger effects for more distressed participants.