Short-term effects of coping skills training in school-age children with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Objective-Little is known about the use of psychosocial interventions in children younger than adolescence with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their parents. We report preliminary short term outcomes of a randomized controlled trial of coping skills training (CST) compared to group education (GE) with school-aged children with T1D and their parents.Methods-111 children (range = 8-12 years) with T1D for at least 6 months (3.71 ±2.91 years) were randomized to CST (55.6%F; 81.5%W) or GE (69.7%F; 90.9%W). Children and parents (N=87) who completed the intervention, baseline, 1 and 3 month data are included. Children completed measures of self efficacy, coping, and quality of life; parents completed measures of family functioning (adaptability, cohesion), diabetes-related conflict, parent depression and parent coping. Metabolic control was assessed with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Mixed model repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data.Results-CST and GE group composition was generally comparable. Children had good psychosocial adaptation and metabolic status. CST parents reported significantly more improvement in family adaptability compared to GE parents and a trend was seen indicating that CST children showed greater improvement in life satisfaction than GE children. Effect sizes for this short term follow-up period were small, but group participants were receptive to the intervention and reported positive gains.Conclusion-In these preliminary results, CST and GE were more similar than different across multiple measure of psychosocial adaptation, although CST showed promising statistical trends for more adaptive family functioning and greater life satisfaction. Longer term follow up is underway.

Evidence-based behavioral interventions to promote diabetes management in children, adolescents, and families.

“…Among adolescents, CST has resulted in improved quality of life, coping skills, and glycemic control up to 1 year postintervention compared with a control group receiving comparable intensive diabetes management without CST (Grey et al, 2000). Similar improvements were reported for younger children receiving CST, although these improvements were also observed in children in an educational intervention (Ambrosino et al, 2008). Recent CST adaptations for parents (Grey, Jaser, Whittemore, Jeon, & Lindemann, 2011) and for delivery via the Internet (Grey et al, 2013) showed improvements in coping and quality of life, but no differences in glycemic control compared with an educational intervention.…”

Fatores associados à qualidade de vida de jovens com diabetes mellitus do tipo 1

“…Experimental groups were constituted, including young people who received training and control groups that received educational orientations. QoL, assessed through the DQOLY, was reported better in the experimental group in all studies (23)(24)(25)(26)(27) .…”

Long-Term Glycemic Control as a Result of Initial Education for Children With New Onset Type 1 Diabetes

“…Recent studies have investigated the usefulness of alternative education, such as coping skills training, 22 self-care, 23 and goal-setting and problem-solving sessions. 24 Other studies support the usefulness of active, ongoing education, such as that derived from enrollment in a summer diabetes camp.…”