Purpose:The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding concerning the ways that social support from close relationships can impact a patients' ability to cope with scleroderma.Method: Four focus groups were conducted with patients diagnosed with scleroderma (N = 19). A semi-structured interview guide was used. Discussions were recorded and transcribed, and a thematic analysis performed.Results: Patients reported receiving three types of social support (i.e., emotional, informational, instrumental), with emotional support standing out as a priority. Patients also referred to three relational factors (i.e., communication style, active engagement, complementarity) that either enhanced or impeded the support received. More specifically, honest communication by the patients, patients' careful selection of sources of support, and close relationships motivated to learn and get involved enhanced social support. However, patients who avoided others or avoided speaking about scleroderma, people with a lack understanding, and people who do not get involved impeded support. Conclusion:Scleroderma patients might benefit from supportive interventions aimed at helping them cope better with the disease as a collective, rather than exclusively supporting patients to cope on their own. Findings from this study help better understand the unique experiences of scleroderma patients while receiving support in close relationships.

Evidence-based practices facilitate the effective delivery of psychological services, yet research on the implementation of evidence-based practices in psychosocial oncology (PSO) is scarce. Responding to this gap, we interviewed a diverse sample of 16 directors of Canadian psychosocial oncology services about (a) how evidence-based practices in psychosocial oncology are being implemented in clinical care and how the service quality is monitored and (b) what are barriers and facilitators to evidence-based practice in psychosocial oncology services? Responses were grouped according to three main themes emerging from the data: screening for distress and referral to PSO services, delivery of evidence-based PSO services, and monitoring of PSO services. Our findings highlight facilitators and barriers to evidence-based practice in psychosocial oncology, which were related to the political, social, economic, and geographic contexts. The stepped care model was identified as a science-informed approach to improve the cost-effectiveness of triage systems and treatment delivery while facilitating more equitable access to services. Other facilitators included electronic screening and referral systems as well as protected time for clinicians to communicate more within their teams and participate in knowledge exchange. High caseloads presented a major barrier to acquiring and implementing evidence-based practices. Recommen–dations include increased support for evidence-based onboarding and continued training as well as for data collection regarding service needs, quality, and quantity to inform service monitoring and advocacy for more financial resources. Our findings are relevant to healthcare decision makers, implementation researchers, as well as service directors and practitioners providing psychosocial oncology care.

Introduction: A healthy lifestyle could have a positive impact in reducing the incidence of some long-term sequelae secondary to pediatric cancer treatments. Motivational communication (MC) is effective at improving healthy lifestyle habits, especially when patients experience change as a challenge. To date, there is no available intervention program using MC that promotes healthy lifestyles in pediatric oncology. Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop the first MC training program for professionals in pediatric oncology and assess its feasibility and acceptability. Materials and methods: Following standard procedures involving professionals, we developed a professional-targeted training named the Motivation Cafés, consisting in six sessions of core MC skills for healthcare professionals who wish to positively impact lifestyles of families in pediatric oncology. We used a mixedmethods quantitative-qualitative study to assess the program feasibility and acceptability. Professionals in nutrition and physical activity (N = 16) attended two rounds of the training and completed surveys to evaluate the training. They reported selfefficacy and knowledge in MC. Participation and retention rates were used to assess acceptability and feasibility, and a thematic analysis of the open-ended questions was performed to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program to further refine the program. We used non-parametric statistics to compare pre-post changes on measures of self-efficacy and knowledge in MC. Results: Attendance and retention (average 4.2/6 sessions completed) were high, suggesting very good adherence and ARTICLE HISTORY