Research

The Steven S. Elbaum Family Center for Caregiving supports a robust program of research focused on studying caregivers, understanding how we can comprehensively meet their unique and changing needs, and determining the best practices to integrate caregivers into the health care team. Our goal is to make sure that caregivers are well supported, educated, and trained so that they do not experience unnecessary distress and burden as a result of their responsibilities.

As a leader in researching best practices in providing support to caregivers, Allison J. Applebaum, PhD, Director of the Elbaum Center, has published both a textbook and a therapist’s handbook, as well as more than 100 peer-reviewed papers:

Cancer Caregivers

The textbook Cancer Caregivers reveals the depth of complexities of caregiving experiences that the field of psycho-oncology has been exploring and the vast expanses we have left to understand. This text describes the characteristics and experiences of cancer caregivers based on their life stage, relationship to the patient, and ethnic group membership, as well as patients’ disease and treatment type. It highlights the significant progress in research focused on the development and dissemination of psychosocial interventions for cancer caregivers, and includes in-depth case studies to illustrate their delivery and application. 

Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer Caregivers: Therapist Manual and Caregiver Workbook

Based upon meaning-centered psychotherapy, an empirically supported existentially oriented approach that has demonstrated great efficacy in enhancing meaning, purpose, and spiritual well-being among patients with advanced cancer, Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer Caregivers (MCP-C) is the first therapeutic approach that helps caregivers connect to a sense of meaning and purpose in life and caregiving, despite the profound challenges and limitations they face. Through seven sessions that include didactic and experiential exercises, caregivers are guided to connect to various sources of meaning in life that can become resources as they face the challenges of caregiving and beyond. This manual provides clinicians with the tools needed to deliver MCP-C, including session-by-session descriptions, sample therapist scripts, and a caregiver workbook. A sample case is also included to bring the material to life.

Additional Research Publications

Current Clinical Trials Led by Elbaum Center faculty:

Caregivers are essential members of the health care team, providing support to those with chronic, serious, and life-limiting illness. Yet, their voices and experiences are often unheard. By contributing to clinical trials, you make yourself known and advance the evidence-based research needed to improve the care of all caregivers. Please consider enrolling in a national clinical trial or one within the Elbaum Center as they become available.

The following clinical trial will be open to the community soon:

A Study of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Caregivers to People With Cancer