Table 3 Breakdown of intervention content with BCTs

Session 1

To appreciate the experience and common concerns of people affected by cancer across the cancer journey

To describe the strategies employed in the local setting to promote approaches to care

Help participants share fears and concerns about cancer and its treatment

Educate about illness and treatments and caregiving according to identified knowledge gaps and misconceptions based on participant feedback

Encourage optimistic thinking

Communicate and demonstrate a range of possible therapies such as relaxation, massage

Encourage healthy coping and lifestyle behaviours

Instruction on how to perform the behaviour, credible sources, information about emotional consequences

Session 2

To encourage the expression of feelings and ideas

To assess verbal and nonverbal client communication needs

To respect the client’s personal values and beliefs

Ask participants to write down their concerns and fears about cancer prognosis

Discuss results among the group

Promote open communication

Encourage mutual support and teamwork

Promote approaches to helping dyad work within the limits of their new limitations

Instruction on how to perform behaviour, action planning, demonstration of the behaviour, behavioural practice/rehearsal, framing/reframing, social support (physical and emotional)

Session 3

To provide relief from suffering, manage symptoms, help reconcile relationships, and assist in the transition between this life

Help dyad to stay hopeful in the face of death through honest conversations with family and close friends

Social connections; link between the past and present

Help dyad deal with overwhelming stress by talking to someone they trust, exercising, and making time for activities they enjoy

Social (physical, emotional) support, problem solving, restructuring of physical and social environment, verbal persuasion about capabilities

Session 4

To recognise family’s positive attributes

Develop family coping during challenging times

Identify family strengths

Use reflective writing to deepen insights and reflect on life changes and what is essential in life

Discuss the use of spiritual coping with health challenges

Consider what provides a sense of inner peace for the individual

Explore the views of each other and come to a new shared understanding

Social (physical, emotional) support, behavioural practice/rehearsal, graded tasks, verbal persuasion about capabilities, feedback on outcomes of behaviour

Wrap-up and instructions

Address any unresolved issues/questions

Provide encouragement and motivation

Review the weekly reflection notebook and consider progress

Social support (emotional), review goal (behavioural), verbal persuasion about capabilities