Efficiency of the Technology-Based “HomeCARE-Family EmPow” for Children with Cancer and Their Parents: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: Home-based pediatric cancer care requires addressing both physical and psychosocial care needs for children and their parents Currently, there is a notable gap in intervention programs that evaluate technology-based psychosocial empowerment for children and parents in home-based pediatric cancer care. The study protocol was to assess the efficiency of a technology-based psychosocial empowerment intervention for home-based care for children with cancer and their parents. Methods: This study was planned as a single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled experimental design. The study was intended to include 64 children and parents in the research sample. The HomeCare-Family EmPow is a technology-based intervention based on the Psychological Empowerment Theory. This 4-week program, delivered via the website, consists of four modules for parents and two for children. The descriptive form, Self-Efficacy Scale- for children and adolescents with cancer, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Pediatric Cancer Coping Scale will be used in the data collection for children. The descriptive form, Self-Efficacy Scale, Problem-Solving Inventory, and Psychological Resilience Scale will be used for parents. Repeated measures analysis of variance and linear mixed-effects models will be applied for intragroup and intergroup comparisons. Outcome measures will be assessed before randomization, 1 week after the intervention, and 1 month after. Results: The possible differences between the intervention and control groups will be evaluated after the implementation of the intervention. Our proposed hypotheses will report the findings. Conclusions: This research may provide a more comprehensive and evidence-based approach to pediatric cancer management at home-based pediatric cancer management by improving children's and parents' self-efficacy and coping by providing feasible, accessible, and innovative support. Implications for Nursing Practice: The study outcomes are expected to enrich the understanding and management of the psychosocial well-being of children and their parents and empower them to cope with the treatment process more effectively during home-based care.