Studies have shown that supporting parents in pediatric oncology reduces family distress following a cancer diagnosis. Manualized programs for parents have therefore been developed to reduce family distress. However, these programs have limitations that need to be improved, such as better defining programs’ procedures, developing interventions focusing on parents’ conjugal relationship, conducting rigorous evaluations of implementation, and proposing adaptations to various cultural dimensions. According to the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model for the development of behavioral intervention, we improved these limitations and developed TAKING BACK CONTROL TOGETHER, a six in-person intervention sessions to support parents of children with cancer by taking the active components of two programs: Bright IDEAS and SCCIP. Referring to the redesign phase of the ORBIT model, this study aims to refine the definition of this program’s design by interviewing parents and healthcare professionals. In order to refine the program, we used a sequential mixed-methods study. Parents and healthcare professionals first completed questionnaires assessing the program, and then discussed its limitations, benefits, and areas for improvement in group and/or individual interviews. We performed a descriptive thematic content analysis of the qualitative data from the open-ended questions (questionnaires and interviews) with NVivo 11 to categorize recommendations for the program refinement. The results showed that components seemed pertinent to final users. The main areas needing improvement were the level of complexity and understandability of the parent manual, the possibility to choose the place and time of the intervention, and the lack of ethnic/cultural diversity. Changes to the program were made accordingly. It is necessary to include end-users when developing complex intervention programs designed for vulnerable populations and sensitive clinical contexts. Following the present refinement, we now have a treatment package, which is safe and acceptable for the target population and has a better chance of yielding a clinically significant benefit for users in a future pilot study.

Background Maintaining quality of life is a primary goal of palliative care (PC). Complementary interventions can help meet the needs of patients at the end of life. Objectives This meta-analysis aims to (1) evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of music and hypnosis interventions designed for patients in PC and (2) evaluate the impact of these interventions on pain, anxiety, sleep and well-being. Methods Relevant studies were sourced from major databases. We selected both randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and studies relying on pre–post design with details of the intervention(s). Results Four RCT and seven non-randomised pre–post studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions reached an adequate level of satisfaction. However, only three studies reported using a written protocol. The meta-analysis of RCT indicated a significant decrease in pain with an effect size of −0.42, p=0.003. The small number of RCT studies did not allow us to quantify the effects for other variables. Analyses of data from pre–post designs indicated a favourable outcome for pain, anxiety, sleep and well-being. Conclusion Despite the limited number of studies included in our meta-analysis, hypnosis and music intervention in the context of PC shows promising results in terms of feasibility and acceptability, as well as improvements on pain, anxiety, sleep and well-being. The available studies are insufficient to compare the efficacy across interventions and assess the potential benefits of their combinations. These results underscore the importance of further research on well-described complementary interventions relying on hypnosis and music. PROSPERO registration number CRD-42021236610.

To explore the effects of a hypnotic communication (HC) training for paediatric nurses in decreasing patients’ pain and distress during venipunctures. A 4-day theoretical and practical HC training was offered to five paediatric oncology nurses. The effects of HC were tested with 22 young cancer patients (13 girls, 9 boys, 10 ± 4 years) over four time points, with 88 encounters being video-recorded and coded in stable professional-patient dyads. Patients’ pain and distress were rated by patients and parents with visual analogue scales and coded from recordings using the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale. We observed a significant decrease in pre-post distress reported by parents (d = 0.45, p = 0.046). Two out of five nurses with higher skills acquisition had larger reduction in patients’ self-reported pain (d = 1.03, p = 0.028), parents perceived pain (d = 1.09, p = 0.042), distress (d = 1.05, p = 0.043) as well as observed pain (d = 1.22, p = 0.025). Favourable results on pain and distress did not maintain at follow-up. Training nurses in HC may translate into improved pain and distress in patients, both self-rated and observed provided that skills are used in practice. HC training is a promising non-pharmacological intervention to address pain in paediatrics.

Introduction: Approximately one-quarter of Canadians experience chronic pain, a debilitating condition often necessitating opioid use, which raises concerns regarding dependency and overdose risks. As an alternative, we developed the HYlaDO program (Hypnose de la Douleur, hypnosis of Pain in French), a novel self-hypnosis approach for chronic pain management. The development of this program followed the ORBIT model, a comprehensive framework for designing interventions encompassing several phases ranging from design to efficacy assessment.Methods: In the present work, we conducted a preliminary evaluation of the HYlaDO program with 21 participants (18 of the 21 patients were included in the analysis). The primary objective was to determine one session of the program’s effectiveness in altering pain, anxiety and relaxation via pre-post analysis. The secondary goal was to examine the long-term effects across the same measures, in addition to the overall quality of life.Results: The results highlight the benefits of our approach, while participants reported short-term significant pain reduction, decreased anxiety, and increased relaxation. Additionally, preliminary trends suggest improvements in physical activity and quality of life metrics.Discussion: These positive outcomes highlight HYlaDO’s potential as an alternative to opioid therapy for chronic pain. Encouraged by these results, we aim to extend our research to a broader and more diverse cohort, paving the way for comprehensive randomized controlled trials. This expansion will further validate HYlaDO’s efficacy and its role in transforming chronic pain management.