CancerNCT07052110
DST in Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Enhancing Self-esteem, and Promoting Quality of Life Among CCSs
A study testing Digital storytelling in people with Cancer, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Digital storytelling (DST) in reducing depressive symptoms, enhancing self-esteem, and promoting quality of life among Chinese survivors of childhood cancer. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 13 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Cancer
- What is being tested?
- Digital storytelling
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 248 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 16 Oct 2023to 12 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 13 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- (1) age between 13 and 18 years;
- (2) able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese; and
- (3) completed the active treatment of cancer.
Who cannot join
- survivors with mental and behavioural problems documented in their medical records.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong
Ting MAO, 66754757, 23040516R@connect.polyu.hk
About this study
Official title: Listening to the Patient's Cancer Journey: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Digital Storytelling (DST) in Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Enhancing Self-esteem, and Promoting Quality of Life Among Hong Kong Chinese Childhood Cancer Survivors
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Digital storytelling (DST) in reducing depressive symptoms, enhancing self-esteem, and promoting quality of life among Chinese survivors of childhood cancer.
Participants in the experimental group will be divided into groups of 6 to 8 childhood cancer survivors to receive the intervention, which comprises four workshops. Each workshop will last 2.5 hours and will be conducted by a qualified interventionist. Parents are not required to attend the workshop. The investigators will provide a waiting room for them. Parents will also be provided with a leaflet developed by Hong Kong Department of Health which contains self-help material for depression.
No intervention will be carried out among participants in the control group. However, customary care including medical follow-up, medication prescription, and nursing interventions will be provided, as usual. Parents will also be provided with a leaflet containing self-help materials for depression.
- Conditions
- Cancer
- Being tested
- Digital storytelling
- Keywords
- childhood cancer survivors, digitial storytelling, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, quality of life
- Medical subject headings
- Neoplasms, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital storytellingOther
DST is an intervention that can potentially mitigate the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. People can usually find positive meaning in a traumatic experience by communicating their experience using narratives like storytelling. In particular, by externalising the traumatic experience in the form of a narrative, the individual can become an objective agent, distancing themselves from negative meanings attached to the experience. This lowers people's resistance to and defence against the experience, assisting them to explore alternative perspectives regarding the experience and to identify its positive aspects, which boost self-esteem. Likewise, storytelling engages different areas of the brain, including those responsible for visual, language, and hearing functions, to reorganise the disorganised traumatic experience into a coherent story, facilitating integration of the experience into existing memories.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention: Digital storytelling | Experimental | Participants in the experimental group will receive the DST intervention, which comprises four workshops. Each workshop will last 2.5 hours and will be conducted by a qualified interventionist. In the workshops, a group of 6-8 participants will first share their personal cancer experiences and offer feedback to other participants in the context of a story circle. A set of guiding questions will be used to facilitate participants in telling their own stories. Particularly, probing will be used to guide the child participants to share their own experiences. Open-ended questions such as 'How do you think about your cancer experience?' will be asked. Subsequent supplementary questions, such as 'What makes you feel in this way?' and 'can you give me some examples' will be asked to encourage more sharing. Afterwards, participants wil be encouraged to write their own script and storyboard, record their stories using a microphone, and choose photos and videos to illustrate their stories. Receives: Other: Digital storytelling |
| No Intervention: Standard of care | No intervention | No intervention will be carried out among participants in the control group. However, customary care including medical follow-up, medication prescription, and nursing interventions will be provided, as usual. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depressive symptoms: Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
The CES-DC will be used to assess the number of depressive symptoms among participants. This instrument contains 20 items evaluated on a 4-point scale, from 0 (not at all) to 3 (a lot). The possible range of scores is between 0 and 60, with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms. The cut-off score is 15. Participants with scores higher than 15 are considered to be experiencing significant levels of depressive symptoms. This scale has been widely applied in studies among Hong Kong Chinese children with cancer, and its psychometric properties have been well-established in this population.
Measured: The CES-DC will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Self-esteem: Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)
The RSES will be used to assess participants' self-esteem. This scale contains 10 items that are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 4. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem. This scale has been widely applied in paediatric oncology research and has been previously validated in Hong Kong Chinese children.
Measured: The RSES will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
Quality of life: Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0)
The PedsQL 4.0 will be used to assess participants' QoL. This scale includes 23 items that can be categorised into four subscales, including physical functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning, and school functioning. Participants will asked to rate their experience in the past 1 month using a 5-point scale. All items will be reverse scored and linearly transformed into a 0- to 100-point scale. Higher scores represent better quality of life. This scale has been extensively applied in studies among paediatric oncology populations and has well-established psychometric properties.
Measured: The PedsQL 4.0 will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Jul 2025
- Study start16 Oct 2023
- Primary completion12 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion12 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 248 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr Eva Ho, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Investigators
- Ka Yan Ho, phd, Principal investigator, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07052110
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- DST intervention
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jun 2025
- Last updated
- 12 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Listening to the Patient's Cancer Journey: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Digital Storytelling (DST) in Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Enhancing Self-esteem, and Promoting Quality of Life Among Hong Kong Chinese Childhood Cancer Survivors
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07052110
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DST intervention
- Conditions
- Cancer
- Keywords
- childhood cancer survivors, digitial storytelling, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, quality of life
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 248 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong
- Study start
- 16 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 12 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 12 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Digital storytelling (DST) in reducing depressive symptoms, enhancing self-esteem, and promoting quality of life among Chinese survivors of childhood cancer.
Participants in the experimental group will be divided into groups of 6 to 8 childhood cancer survivors to receive the intervention, which comprises four workshops. Each workshop will last 2.5 hours and will be conducted by a qualified interventionist. Parents are not required to attend the workshop. The investigators will provide a waiting room for them. Parents will also be provided with a leaflet developed by Hong Kong Department of Health which contains self-help material for depression.
No intervention will be carried out among participants in the control group. However, customary care including medical follow-up, medication prescription, and nursing interventions will be provided, as usual. Parents will also be provided with a leaflet containing self-help materials for depression.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention: Digital storytelling | Experimental | Other: Digital storytellingParticipants in the experimental group will receive the DST intervention, which comprises four workshops. Each workshop will last 2.5 hours and will be conducted by a qualified interventionist. In the workshops, a group of 6-8 participants will first share their personal cancer experiences and offer feedback to other participants in the context of a story circle. A set of guiding questions will be used to facilitate participants in telling their own stories. Particularly, probing will be used to guide the child participants to share their own experiences. Open-ended questions such as 'How do you think about your cancer experience?' will be asked. Subsequent supplementary questions, such as 'What makes you feel in this way?' and 'can you give me some examples' will be asked to encourage more sharing. Afterwards, participants wil be encouraged to write their own script and storyboard, record their stories using a microphone, and choose photos and videos to illustrate their stories. |
| No Intervention: Standard of care | No intervention | –No intervention will be carried out among participants in the control group. However, customary care including medical follow-up, medication prescription, and nursing interventions will be provided, as usual. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 13 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- (1) age between 13 and 18 years;
- (2) able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese; and
- (3) completed the active treatment of cancer.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- survivors with mental and behavioural problems documented in their medical records.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Digital storytellingDST is an intervention that can potentially mitigate the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. People can usually find positive meaning in a traumatic experience by communicating their experience using narratives like storytelling. In particular, by externalising the traumatic experience in the form of a narrative, the individual can become an objective agent, distancing themselves from negative meanings attached to the experience. This lowers people's resistance to and defence against the experience, assisting them to explore alternative perspectives regarding the experience and to identify its positive aspects, which boost self-esteem. Likewise, storytelling engages different areas of the brain, including those responsible for visual, language, and hearing functions, to reorganise the disorganised traumatic experience into a coherent story, facilitating integration of the experience into existing memories. | Other | Intervention: Digital storytelling |
Primary outcome
Depressive symptoms: Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
Time frame: The CES-DC will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
The CES-DC will be used to assess the number of depressive symptoms among participants. This instrument contains 20 items evaluated on a 4-point scale, from 0 (not at all) to 3 (a lot). The possible range of scores is between 0 and 60, with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms. The cut-off score is 15. Participants with scores higher than 15 are considered to be experiencing significant levels of depressive symptoms. This scale has been widely applied in studies among Hong Kong Chinese children with cancer, and its psychometric properties have been well-established in this population.
2 secondary outcomes
Self-esteem: Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)
Time frame: The RSES will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
Quality of life: Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0)
Time frame: The PedsQL 4.0 will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Ka Yan Ho, phd principal investigator
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital storytelling in people with Cancer, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ka Yan Ho, PhD (+8527666417, kyeva.ho@polyu.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depressive symptoms: Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) (time frame: The CES-DC will be conducted immediately after the completion of the intervention, and at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up via telephone interview.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Mar 2026.