title: Social Competence in Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors: Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of a Peer-Mediated Intervention.
abstract: Evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary outcomes of a peer-mediated intervention to improve social competence of brain tumor survivors and classmates.
  
  
  
  Twelve childhood brain tumor survivors and 217 classroom peers in intervention (n = 8) or comparison (n = 4) classrooms completed measures of social acceptance and reputation at 2 time points in the year. The intervention (5-8 sessions over 4-6 weeks) taught peer leaders skills for engaging classmates. Individual and classroom outcomes were analyzed with analysis of covariance.
  
  
  
  Recruitment rates of families of brain tumor survivors (81%) and schools (100%) were adequate. Peer leaders reported satisfaction with the intervention. Preliminary outcome data trended toward some benefit in increasing the number of friend nominations for survivors of brain tumors but no changes in other peer-reported metrics. Preliminary results also suggested some positive effects on classroom levels of victimization and rejection.
  
  
  
  A peer-mediated intervention was acceptable to families of brain tumor survivors and feasible to implement in schools. Findings warrant a larger trial to evaluate improvements for children with brain tumors and their peers.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ; †Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada; ‡Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY; §School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ; ‖Department of Social Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; ¶Department of Psychiatry, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA; **Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Katie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bukowski
authors.forename: Olle Jane Z
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Sahler
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ohman-Strickland
authors.forename: Tristram H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: E Anne
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lown
authors.forename: Andrea Farkas
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Patenaude
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Korones
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Noll
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010379:Peer Group; D066107:Social Skills; D012960:Socioenvironmental Therapy