Adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 12-25 years old) with cancer are at high risk for elevated distress and poorer mental health outcomes than their peers. Studies have shown that, in particular, Latinos with cancer are at risk for increased psychosocial burden, lower quality of life, and higher depressive symptoms when compared to their non-Latino counterparts. PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Stress Management) is an intervention built on the premise that promoting resilience resources will reduce distress and improve outcomes. It is comprised of four modules: Stress Management, Goal Setting, Catching Negative Self-Talk, and Benefit Finding. I propose to take the first steps toward a proper cultural adaptation of PRISM as a resilience building program for Spanish-speaking AYAs with cancer. Specifically, I aim to translate the PRISM intervention into Spanish, solicit and compile professional community partner input, and pilot PRISM-Spanish in think aloud protocols with Latino AYAs for iterative feedback. This research has strong potential to reduce the distress that is common and unchecked in Latino AYAs with cancer.
Latino adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are at particularly increased risk for psychosocial burden, lower quality of life, and higher depressive symptoms when compared to their non -Latino counterparts. A systemic review of the literature finds that psychosocial interventions for Latino AYAs with cancer are severely lacking and greatly necessary. A Spanish-language translation of the PRISM intervention is well- suited to address these unmet needs in Latino AYAs, as PRISM has been shown to improve resilience, quality of life, and psychological distress.
