ReSPIRA: A Pilot Project on Motor and Deep Breathing Activities for Parents of Hospitalized Children with Cancer

Background: Pediatric cancer diagnoses and hospitalization constitute a source of psychological burden for parents. Critical role of parental well-being in pediatric oncology care is established, evidence-based interventions targeting caregiver distress remain limited. Physical and breathing exercises have demonstrated efficacy in stress reduction across various populations but in Pediatric Oncology has received minimal attention. Objective: This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of implementing motor and breathing exercises for caregivers in Pediatric Oncology, and examined the exercises’s effects on emotional distress indicators. Methods: Caregivers of children hospitalized in the Pediatric Oncology Unit at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS were enrolled in this single-arm feasibility study. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale and the Emotional Thermometers at baseline. Following a guided session incorporating motor and breathing, caregivers repeated the ET and completed a satisfaction questionnaire. Pre-post changes in emotional distress dimensions were analyzed using paired statistical tests. Results: Twenty caregivers completed the protocol and reported interest in repeating the activity during subsequent hospitalizations. Baseline assessments revealed elevated levels of anxiety, anger, and depressed mood. Significant reductions were observed in anxiety (p < 0.05), anger (p < 0.05) following the activity and improvements in overall mood state (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Implementation of a brief, non-clinical motor and breathing activity proved both feasible and acceptable. The study demonstrated a promising trend toward reducing acute emotional distress during hospitalization. Integrating accessible, non-medicalized wellness activities into standard care protocols may represent a strategy for caregiver psychological needs, warranting further investigation through controlled trials.