A project led by Research Assistant Fatma Dilmen of the Department of Social Work at Ondokuz Mayıs University’s (OMU) Faculty of Health Sciences has been selected for funding under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A Rapid Support Programme.

The project, titled “A Group Social Work Intervention Based on Brief Solution-Focused Therapy for Caregivers of Cancer Patients,” is being conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ercümend Ersanlı, Head of OMU’s Department of Social Work.

The study aims to examine family caregivers’ experiences and perceptions of caring for individuals with cancer, assess their mental well-being, quality of life, and social health, and evaluate the effects of a group social work intervention based on Brief Solution-Focused Therapy in these areas.

Using quantitative and qualitative analyses involving experimental and control groups, the research will comprehensively investigate the challenges experienced by caregivers, their social support mechanisms, coping strategies, motivations for providing care, and changes observed following the intervention.

The findings are expected to contribute to the development of psychosocial support services for family caregivers of cancer patients and provide social workers with a structured group intervention model. The project is also expected to inform future social work research and practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.