Abstract
This study aims to alleviate the gap in literature regarding the accessibility, utilization, and usefulness of psychosocial interventions for adolescent oncology patients. Specifically, it intends to gain an understanding of the psychosocial services and interventions currently being provided to adolescent oncology patients. Within this, the study intends to compare the perceived usefulness of interventions utilizing interaction between adolescent oncology patients and those that do not. Its primary purpose is to build upon the limited evidence supporting specific strategies for adolescent oncology psychosocial care. In order to do this, a key-informant/experts survey was administered. This research yielded four major findings. First, a high majority of professionals believe peer interaction is important to the psychosocial wellbeing of adolescent oncology patients and a lower percentage perceives their agency feels the same. Second, interventions both with and without peer interaction were identified as useful. However, interventions without peer interaction are more commonly provided internally and patients are most commonly referred to outside service providers for those providing peer interaction. Rates of perceived utilization of services were much lower than perceived rates of accessibility. Cumulatively, these findings suggest that there is a gap in between the referral and utilization of these services, which are viewed as beneficial to the psychosocial wellbeing of adolescent oncology patients.