Purpose

Mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes experience high levels of depressive symptoms, which impair their ability to monitor and manage diabetes treatment effectively. Further, maternal depressive symptoms are one of the strongest predictors of negative outcomes in adolescents, including deteriorating glycemic control, problems with adherence, poorer quality of life, and greater risk for depression. Given that adolescents are a high-risk population for suboptimal glycemic control - with only 17% meeting treatment goals - there is a critical need for novel interventions to improve outcomes in adolescents with T1D. Yet, previous behavioral interventions for youth with diabetes have had only modest effects on glycemic control, and none have directly targeted maternal depressive symptoms. Building on effective interventions to treat depression in adults, and our own pilot work in this population, the proposed study will use a rigorous approach to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes to promote the use of adaptive coping strategies and positive parenting practices. The aims of this study are to: 1) evaluate the effects of the Communication & Coping intervention on diabetes-related outcomes; 2) evaluate the effects of the Communication & Coping intervention on psychosocial outcomes; and 3) explore the differential impact of the intervention across demographic factors. Mothers who are randomized to the Communication & Coping Intervention will receive individual cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions by phone, as well as access to a Facebook group to augment the material covered in calls and provide social support. Mothers randomized to the Attention Control condition will receive educational materials and phone check-ins, as well as a Facebook group with educational posts. Adolescents and their mothers will be assessed at baseline and again post-intervention, at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
All ages
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Female caregiver of an adolescent with type 1 diabetes - Adolescent age 11-17 - Adolescent diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for at least 12 months - Caregiver reports mild to moderate depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score of 5-19) OR OR caregiver reports diabetes distress (Parent/Teen Relationship Distress Subscale score of 2 or higher) - English speaking

Exclusion Criteria

  • Caregiver reports minimal depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score less than 5) - Caregiver reports severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score 20 or higher) - Caregiver reports history of severe psychopathology (bipolar disorder or schizophrenia) - Caregiver reports that adolescent has history of severe psychopathology (bipolar disorder or schizophrenia)

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Communication & Coping Intervention
A cognitive behavioral intervention for mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes to improve coping and the quality of parental involvement.
  • Behavioral: Communication & Coping Intervention
    Mothers receive a treatment manual and participate in individual phone calls aimed at reducing depressive symptoms and improving the quality of parental involvement. A concurrent secret Facebook group will have daily posts to reinforce concepts.
Active Comparator
Education & Check Ins
The comparison group receives educational materials on diabetes management and phone calls, as well as access to a secret Facebook group with daily posts on diabetes management.
  • Behavioral: Education & Check Ins
    Mothers receive educational materials and participate in individual phone calls related to these materials. A concurrent secret Facebook group will have daily educational posts.

More Details

Status
Completed
Sponsor
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Study Contact

Detailed Description

Mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes experience high levels of depressive symptoms, which impair their ability to monitor and manage diabetes treatment effectively. The regimen recommended for type 1 diabetes is complex and demanding, and caregivers - especially mothers - experience stress related to the burden of treatment management. This stress is associated with increased risk for psychosocial problems in caregivers, with rates of clinically significant depressive symptoms evident in up to 61% of parents. Further, maternal depressive symptoms are one of the strongest predictors of negative outcomes in adolescents, including deteriorating glycemic control, problems with adherence, poorer quality of life, and greater risk for depression. Given that adolescents are a high-risk population for suboptimal glycemic control - with only 17% meeting treatment goals - there is a critical need for novel interventions to improve outcomes in adolescents with T1D. Yet, previous behavioral interventions for youth with diabetes have had only modest effects on glycemic control, and none have directly targeted maternal depressive symptoms. Responding to the American Diabetes Association's call to address the psychosocial needs of people with diabetes and their family members, the proposed project has the potential to improve outcomes in both adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their mothers. Building on effective interventions to treat depression in adults, and our own pilot work in this population, the proposed study will use a rigorous approach to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes to promote the use of adaptive coping strategies and positive parenting practices. The aims of this study are to: 1) evaluate the effects of the Communication & Coping intervention on diabetes-related outcomes; 2) evaluate the effects of the Communication & Coping intervention on psychosocial outcomes; and 3) explore the differential impact of the intervention across demographic factors. Mothers who are randomized to the Communication & Coping Intervention will receive individual cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions by phone, as well as access to a Facebook group to augment the material covered in calls and provide social support. Mothers randomized to the Attention Control condition will receive educational materials and phone check-ins, as well as a Facebook group with educational posts. Adolescents and their mothers will be assessed at baseline and again post-intervention, at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. We hypothesize that the adolescents of mothers who receive the intervention will demonstrate improvements in diabetes outcomes (i.e., glycemic control, adherence), as well as psychosocial outcomes (i.e., improved quality of life, fewer depressive symptoms) compared to those in the attention control condition. This approach is innovative by targeting maternal depressive symptoms and the quality of parental involvement in mothers of adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.