A randomized control trial of stress management for caregivers of stem cell transplant patients: Effect on patient quality of life and caregiver distress

Background Psychological interventions reduce caregiver distress (CG‐distress). Less distress in caregivers may contribute to improved patient quality of life (QoL), but empirical evidence is lacking. Will a caregiver stress management intervention improve patient QoL? Methods In this replication study, we randomized 155 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (Allo‐HSCT) patients and caregivers to PsychoEducation, Paced Respiration, and Relaxation (PEPRR) or enhanced treatment as usual (eTAU). We provided PEPRR over 3 months following transplant. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT‐BMT) evaluated patient QoL, and CG‐distress was based on depressive, anxious, and stress symptoms. Hierarchical linear models tested intervention, time, and interactions as fixed effects with participant as random effects. Results Patients whose caregivers received PEPRR did not differ on FACT‐BMT between baseline and 6 months (mean = +3.74; 95% CI, −3.54 to 11.02) compared with patients of caregivers in eTAU (mean = +3.16; 95% CI, −2.88 to 9.20) even though CG‐distress was decreased by PEPRR (mean = −0.23; 95% CI, −0.448 to −0.010) compared with those receiving eTAU (mean = +0.27; 95% CI, 0.033‐0.504) at 6 months. Conclusions PEPRR reduced CG‐distress without affecting their patient's FACT‐BMT score. The FACT‐BMT may not have distinguished unique psychological changes associated with their caregiver receiving PEPRR.