Check It! Positive Psychology Intervention to Improve Adherence in Adolescents With T1D

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Treatments: Behavioral: Education; Behavioral: Positive Affect

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02746627

131384

Details and patient eligibility

About

Problems with diabetes management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes are common - occurring at rates as high as 93% - and have serious health consequences, including poor blood sugar control and risk for later complications. Therefore, the investigators proposed to test a positive psychology intervention for adolescents with type 1 diabetes aimed at increasing motivation for diabetes management; specifically, to increase the frequency of blood glucose monitoring. This intervention will boost positive mood in adolescents (age 13-17) through tailored exercises in gratitude, self-affirmation, small gifts, and parent affirmation as a way to improve motivation for diabetes management. In addition, this study will explore the use of technology, by comparing telephone-administered vs. automated text-messaging versions of the intervention, to determine which mode of delivery is more appealing, convenient, and beneficial for adolescents in managing their diabetes.

Participants and parents will complete questionnaires on mood and diabetes management during a routine clinic visits at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Clinical measures of diabetes management will be collected from participants' electronic medical records.

Enrollment: 120 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 13 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for at least 6 months
• HbA1c between 8-12%
• Speak and read English
• Caregiver living with child

Exclusion criteria

• Other uncontrolled health conditions

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

120 participants in 3 patient groups

Education

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants receive educational materials in the mail every 2 weeks for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Education

Positive Affect - Text

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive positive affect intervention (weekly reminders to use gratitude, self-affirmations, parental affirmations, and gift cards) by SMS. Participants also receive educational materials in the mail every 2 weeks for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Education

Behavioral: Positive Affect

Positive Affect - Phone

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive positive affect intervention (weekly reminders to use gratitude, self-affirmations, parental affirmations) by phone. Participants receive small gifts in the mail every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. educational materials in the mail every 2 weeks for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Education

Behavioral: Positive Affect