Mindful self-compassion for lung cancer (MSC-LC): Incorporating perspectives of lung cancer patients, clinicians, and researchers to create an adapted intervention to reduce lung cancer stigma

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mindful self-compassion for lung cancer (MSC-LC)

T2 - Incorporating perspectives of lung cancer patients, clinicians, and researchers to create an adapted intervention to reduce lung cancer stigma

AU - Williamson, Timothy J.

AU - Brymwitt, Whitney M.

AU - Gilliland, Jaime

AU - Carter-Bawa, Lisa

AU - Mao, Jun J.

AU - Lynch, Kathleen A.

AU - Emard, Nicholas

AU - Omachi, Sarah

AU - Jacobs, Rocky L.

AU - Tefera, Metasebiya Y.

AU - Reese, McKenzie T.

AU - Ostroff, Jamie S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Society of Behavioral Medicine 2025.

PY - 2025/1/1

Y1 - 2025/1/1

N2 - Background: Stigma is a pervasive and distressing problem experienced frequently by lung cancer patients, and there is a lack of psychosocial interventions that target the reduction of lung cancer stigma. Mindful self-compassion (MSC) is an empirically supported intervention demonstrated to increase self-compassion and reduce feelings of shame and distress in non-cancer populations. However, there are several anticipated challenges for delivering MSC to lung cancer patients, and modifications may be needed to improve acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Purpose: To gather feedback from lung cancer patients, psycho-oncology researchers, expert MSC teachers, and oncology clinicians to identify themes supporting the adaptation of MSC to reduce lung cancer stigma. Methods: We conducted a two-phase process of stakeholder focus groups with researchers and clinicians (n=12) and semi-structured interviews with lung cancer patients (n=14) with elevated stigma. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Five themes were identified: (i) Patients expressed a desire for an intervention that bolstered self-compassion and addressed stigma; (ii) Intervention instructions were acceptable and understood clearly; (iii) Patients preferred intervention content to directly address lung cancer and stigma yet mentioned that doing so should be done with sensitivity; (iv) Ambivalence about delivering the intervention in person or remotely; (v) Acceptance for an intervention of 8-weeks (or longer) with 90-minute sessions and a group size of ≤ 15. Conclusions: Findings informed the development of an adapted clinical protocol for MSC for lung cancer (MSC-LC), which can be pilot tested to determine implementation outcomes (e.g. acceptability, feasibility, efficacy).

AB - Background: Stigma is a pervasive and distressing problem experienced frequently by lung cancer patients, and there is a lack of psychosocial interventions that target the reduction of lung cancer stigma. Mindful self-compassion (MSC) is an empirically supported intervention demonstrated to increase self-compassion and reduce feelings of shame and distress in non-cancer populations. However, there are several anticipated challenges for delivering MSC to lung cancer patients, and modifications may be needed to improve acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Purpose: To gather feedback from lung cancer patients, psycho-oncology researchers, expert MSC teachers, and oncology clinicians to identify themes supporting the adaptation of MSC to reduce lung cancer stigma. Methods: We conducted a two-phase process of stakeholder focus groups with researchers and clinicians (n=12) and semi-structured interviews with lung cancer patients (n=14) with elevated stigma. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Five themes were identified: (i) Patients expressed a desire for an intervention that bolstered self-compassion and addressed stigma; (ii) Intervention instructions were acceptable and understood clearly; (iii) Patients preferred intervention content to directly address lung cancer and stigma yet mentioned that doing so should be done with sensitivity; (iv) Ambivalence about delivering the intervention in person or remotely; (v) Acceptance for an intervention of 8-weeks (or longer) with 90-minute sessions and a group size of ≤ 15. Conclusions: Findings informed the development of an adapted clinical protocol for MSC for lung cancer (MSC-LC), which can be pilot tested to determine implementation outcomes (e.g. acceptability, feasibility, efficacy).

KW - adaptation

KW - lung cancer

KW - mindfulness

KW - self-compassion

KW - stigma

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85216986434&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/tbm/ibae074

DO - 10.1093/tbm/ibae074

M3 - Article

C2 - 39868945

SN - 1869-6716

VL - 15

JO - Translational behavioral medicine

JF - Translational behavioral medicine

IS - 1

M1 - ibae074

ER -