Group-based psychological interventions for fear of cancer recurrence: A scoping review protocol

<ns3:p>Objective The objective of this scoping review is to identify how group-based psychological interventions for fear of cancer recurrence are delivered and integrated into clinical practice and community settings. Introduction Fear of cancer recurrence can be highly distressing and impact on the quality of life of cancer survivors. Psychological interventions incorporating contemporary Cognitive Behavioural Therapies are particularly effective in reducing fear of cancer recurrence and have been delivered on a one-to-one basis using different delivery methods including online, face to face and a blended approach. There is a growing trend to adapt a group-based approach to maximise resources and foster peer support. However, an evaluation of the evidence to date regarding this group-based delivery method is necessary to determine the feasibility, acceptability and implementation into clinical practice and community-based settings. Inclusion criteria The review will include adult patients diagnosed with any type of cancer who have reported FCR. The psychological interventions must be delivered in a group-based format and all psychological models will be considered (e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness). All delivery methods will be included in the synthesis (e.g. online, face-to-face) in addition to all different settings (e.g., hospital, community-based). Methods The review will follow the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Databases to be searched include EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCO), PsycInfo, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Results will be exported to Covidence where all titles and abstracts, and remaining full texts will be screened in duplicate by three independent reviewers. Extracted data will be will be presented in tabular format and accompanied by a narrative summary.</ns3:p>