Reducing Stress in Adolescents and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes to Improve Diabetes Care

Adolescence and young adulthood may be particularly stressful developmental periods due to the numerous transitions into new roles and the need for increased independence. Stress can affect metabolic control in older adolescents and young adults with T1D directly through its impact on cortisol and other hormones that affect insulin metabolism. The proposed study is a pilot randomized clinical trial using a three-group randomized, repeated measures design to assess the efficacy of two treatments (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or (CBT) versus an attention control condition for older adolescents and young adults with poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes. As a pilot study, the goal of the research is to test recruitment and retention procedures, finalize intervention measures, training, and fidelity protocols, and estimate effect sizes for a larger clinical trial.