Faculty Spotlight: Karly Ingram
Dr. Karly Ingram
Published 02.02.2026
Leading Multi-site Trial to Optimize a Digital Depression Self-Management Tool for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
Dr. Ingram (formerly Dr. Murphy), Assistant Professor of Psychology, is currently conducting a multi-site trial of a digital self-management tool for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (AYAs) experiencing symptoms of depression called ASCENT. This project is supported by her K99/R00 grant from the National Cancer Institute.
AYAs, individuals diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39, constitute a medically underserved group identified by the NCI. Unfortunately, this demographic faces disproportionately high rates of depression, which often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Dr. Ingram’s research seeks to address this gap in care by creating a digital tool designed to help AYAs cope with depressive symptoms in a way that is tailored to the unique experience of having had cancer as a young person.
Dr. Ingram is a clinical health psychologist who has made significant contributions to the literature in AYA cancer survivorship. Her prior research includes evaluating the feasibility of mindfulness training to improve quality of life in AYAs, developing and validating measures of psychosocial constructs for AYAs, and evaluating the use of measures of quality of life with AYAs across therapeutic and psychosocial intervention trials. More recently, Dr. Ingram led several studies focused on developing ASCENT through an iterative user-centered design process as described in recent articles in JMIR Formative Research and Pilot and Feasibility Studies.
As the principal investigator (PI), Dr. Ingram is leading the present study with collaborators in the Division of Hematology/Oncology here at ECU and the Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The team recently launched recruitment for a full factorial trial of ASCENT. Dr. Ingram explains, “This efficient study design will help us to better understand what types of self-management tools are most likely to result in reductions in symptoms of depression among AYAs.” The project’s innovative approach lies in its focus on leveraging digital technology to provide tailored support to AYAs struggling with depression. By incorporating insights from user-centered design and best practices for intervention optimization, Dr. Ingram’s team aims to develop an impactful tool that addresses the specific needs and preferences of this vulnerable population.
Following this study, Dr. Ingram intends to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the most promising components of the tool identified in the factorial trial. If successful, the digital self-management tool could become an integral part of care for AYA cancer survivors nationwide. Dr. Ingram noted “I ultimately envision this tool as being a routine part of care for AYAs – if they report symptoms of depression to their health care team, they can be provided with this resource and begin to learn new skills right away while also pursuing other treatments (such as medication or therapy) if needed.”