Medical Student Research Forum Posters

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, Spanish-speaking 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. Despite this, a systemic review of the literature finds a severe lack of interventional studies being conducted among Hispanic/Latinx cancer patients and survivors. PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Stress Management) is an intervention built on the premise that promoting resilience resources will reduce distress and improve outcomes. However, its efficacy has only been tested in English-speaking populations. Studies show that translating a psychosocial intervention without considering key cultural differences will inevitably be ineffective. The aim of this study is to lay the groundwork for an adaptation of the PRISM intervention for a Spanish-speaking population with an emphasis on promoting engagement and accessibility. In the literature, this process is called cultural attunement. We will focus on the first PRISM module – “Stress Management”