Table 1 Content of the intervention program
Treatment component | Writing assignment and its aims and content |
|---|---|
Preparation | Scheduling and providing potential dates for conducting the writing sessions. |
#1 – Reflection of current appraisal of their child’s CF and identification of desired changes in the impact of the condition upon their life using a metaphor. | |
Coping with anxiety and fear of disease progression | #2 – Selection of an anxiety-provoking situation or cognition and describing specifically the focus of their fear and their associated thoughts and feelings. |
#3 – Restructure own fear-provoking thoughts via writing a letter to a friend in a similar situation and thus to help their friend to develop a new perspective of the situation and to think about it in a more functional way. | |
#4 – Intensification via a second letter going into details regarding strategies for their friend to gain a more adaptive and accurate perspective of the situation. | |
#5 – Development of a strategy how to deal with the most threatening situation, if it actually occurs. | |
Sharing responsibility for treatment | #6 – Reflection on the allocation of treatment-related tasks within the family and if desired planning reallocation. |
#7 – Report of status of implementation of reallocation of treatment-related tasks and if not successful identification of barriers and development of strategies to deal with these barriers in the future. | |
Providing self-care | #8 – Learn to appraise positive things in life and caring for oneself. Identification of own needs via using a diary for positive experiences each day and planning enjoyable activities. |
Summary and integration | #9 – Reflection and integration of the therapy contents and aims at preventing relapses via a letter to oneself. |