title: A program to reduce onset distress in unselected type I diabetic patients: effects on psychological variables and metabolic control.
abstract: This paper reports the results of a prospective controlled trial of a program addressing reduction of onset distress and better future adaptation in adults who were enrolled at the time of diagnosis of type I diabetes mellitus. Patients were assigned randomly to either standard intensive treatment and patient education with the distress reduction program (N = 10) or to standard intensive treatment and patient education without this program (N = 13). Prospective follow-up of patients with multiple validated measures of treatment outcome showed less anxious coping behavior, less depression and less denial at the 9-month follow-up and less denial at the 15-month follow-up in the group with the distress reduction program, but no differences in metabolic control between the two groups at any time. We conclude that our program has a positive impact on the crisis at diabetes onset; the lower denial in the treatment group may lead to improved regimen adherence in the long term.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiess
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sachs
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietschmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prager
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin