Virtual Art Therapy for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors (AVATARS Trial)

This study, called the AVATARS Trial, is testing a virtual art therapy program to help adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (ages 10-25) feel better after cancer treatment. Many AYA survivors experience challenges like anxiety and depression. This art therapy aims to help with these feelings, improve resilience, and process difficult experiences. You would participate in virtual art therapy sessions, and after completing them, you'd receive a 3D printed replica of your artwork. The main goal is to see if this program is practical, easy to use, and helpful for survivors. The study is looking to enroll 30 participants who have had a cancer diagnosis in the past year or finished treatment within the last five years, and who experience mild or greater depression.

Study design
This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 30 participants. It is not specified if it's randomized or blinded.
What's involved
You would complete four virtual art therapy sessions, each lasting over 60 minutes, every 1-2 weeks. You would also complete surveys and interviews.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
After completing the study treatment, you would be followed up at 1 and 2 months.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07089927

Virtual Art Therapy Assisted Re-Integration to Improve Biopsychosocial Outcomes in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors, AVATARS Trial

Recruiting
NAAges 10–25InterventionalSupportive care
Mayo Clinic
~30 participants
Updated 2026-03-30 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Art TherapyInterviewSurvey Administration

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Feasibility-Enrollment
Measured over Up to 4 months
+7 more outcomes measured
Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm

NCT07089927

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 2 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Mayo Clinic in Arizona

    Scottsdale, Arizonastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

    Rochester, Minnesotastudy coordinator listed

    Not yet recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • C. Robert Bennett, PhD, RN · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Mayo Clinic

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

If young adult- aged 18-25 years of age at the time of enrollment and able to provide informed consent, if adolescent- aged 10-17 years at the time of enrollment and able to provide
Mild or greater depression \[Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-A) score \> 5\]
Received a cancer diagnosis during the past year, or completed cancer treatment within the past five years (extended survivorship)
Have access to an electronic device which supports virtual videoconferencing (e.g., personal device or public library access)
Able to read and write in English

Exclusion

Visual or cognitive impairment which may impede completing the art project or the data collection measures
Endorsed suicidality (via PHQ-A or otherwise)
  • Feasibility-EnrollmentUp to 4 months

    Assessed via the percentage of eligible participants who enroll in this study.

  • Feasibility-CompletionUp to 4 months

    Assessed via the percentage of participants who complete at least 75% of the intervention sessions.

  • Intervention Usability ScaleUp to 4 months

    Assessed by the Intervention Usability Scale. It is a 10-item questionnaire with questions answered on a 5-point scale where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree. Higher scores indicate greater usability.

  • Acceptability-Exit InterviewUp to 6 months

    Participants will be invited to provide feedback about their experience during brief (e.g., 20- 30 minute) scripted open-ended question exit interviews. Participants perspectives about the intervention, administration format, and schedule will be used to refine the intervention.

  • Change in AnxietyT1 (at baseline within 48 hours of recruitment), T2 (within 72 hours post session two, and T3 (within 72 hours post session four), T4 (1 month post session four), and an optional measement at T5 (2 months post session four

    Assessed via State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. This is a 20-item questionnaire related to the current anxiety. Questions are answered on a scale of 1 to 4 where 1 = none at all, 2= a little, 3 = somewhat and 4 = very much so. Higher scores indicate greater feelings of anxiety.

  • Change in DepressionT1 (at baseline within 48 hours of recruitment), T2 (within 72 hours post session two, and T3 (within 72 hours post session four), T4 (1 month post session four), and an optional measement at T5 (2 months post session four

    Assessed via Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHG-A). This is a 13-item questionnaire related to feelings of depression. Questions 1-9 relate to the last two weeks and are answered on a scale of 0 to 3 where 0=Not at all, 1=Several days, 2=More than half of the days and 3=Nearly every day. Lower scores indicate lesser feelings of depression. Two questions relate to feelings of depression over the past year, and two questions relate to suicidal thoughts.

  • Change in ResilienceT1 (at baseline within 48 hours of recruitment), T2 (within 72 hours post session two, and T3 (within 72 hours post session four), T4 (1 month post session four), and an optional measement at T5 (2 months post session four

    Assessed via Connor Davidson Resilience Scale 10 (CD-RISC-10), a 10-item questionnaire related to resilience over the past month. Questions are answered on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0=not true at all, 1=rarely true, 2=sometimes true, 3=often true and 4=true nearly all the time. Higher scores indicate greater resilience.

  • Change in Emotional regulationT1 (at baseline within 48 hours of recruitment), T2 (within 72 hours post session two, and T3 (within 72 hours post session four), T4 (1 month post session four), and an optional measement at T5 (2 months post session four

    Assessed via Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), a 36-item questionnaire related to difficulties in emotional regulation. Questions area answered on a 5-point scale (almost never to almost always). A higher score indicates greater difficulties in emotional regulation.