Evaluation of Arts-Based Storytelling Program in Adolescents With Diabetes

University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Diabetes Mellitus

Treatments: Behavioral: Arts-Based Storytelling Workshop Series

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07625254

26-46489

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an arts-based storytelling and narrative medicine workshop series can improve social connection, illness identity, and psychological well-being in adolescents and young adults with chronic illness, specifically diabetes.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does participation in a narrative-based storytelling workshop improve social connectedness and peer support among adolescents and young adults with diabetes?
• Does engagement in creative arts and reflective storytelling support identity formation, self-expression, and emotional well-being in this population?

Participants will be 16-25 years old and recruited through the UCSF Pediatric Diabetes Clinic. Individuals must be able to participate in group workshops and complete surveys and interviews related to the study.

Participants will:

• Attend eight weekly workshops centered on storytelling, reflection, and creative expression
• Engage in narrative medicine activities, including writing, storytelling, drawing, and facilitated reflection
• Participate in group discussions focused on personal experiences with chronic illness
• Complete pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing psychosocial outcomes such as social connectedness, illness identity, self-concept, and mental well-being
• Participate in interviews and reflective exercises about their experiences in the program

This study aims to explore the role of narrative medicine and arts-based interventions in supporting adolescents and young adults with chronic illness and assess their potential benefits as a supplement to standard medical care.

Enrollment: 10 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 25 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must be patients at the UCSF Pediatric Diabetes Clinic
• Participants must have a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes
• Participants must be between 16-25 years old
• The participant and/or caregiver(s) must be English-speaking

Exclusion criteria

• Participants unable to attend the first session

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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10 participants in 1 patient group

Arts-Based Storytelling Workshop Series

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this study will take part in an eight-week arts-based storytelling workshop series designed to promote social connection, self-expression, illness identity development, and psychological well-being in adolescents and young adults with diabetes. Workshops will be conducted weekly and will include: -Close engagement with written, visual, or artistic materials centered on themes such as identity, resilience, relationships, uncertainty, growth, and coping with chronic disease - Facilitated group discussions and sharing intended to foster peer support, connection, emotional processing, and self-expression - Creative arts exercises, including writing, storytelling, drawing, or other forms of creative expression in response to structured prompts

Treatment:

Behavioral: Arts-Based Storytelling Workshop Series