Improving adherence in social situations for adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM): a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) involves adherence to complex daily behaviors. Some adolescents have difficulty maintaining these regimens within social contexts due to peer pressure and apprehension about being singled out (Wysocki et al., 2003 [1]). Previous research suggests that negative social attributions have a role in adherence difficulties (Hains et al., 2006 [6]). This pilot study examined a cognitive-behavioral intervention geared towards challenging and restructuring negative thinking patterns.


METHODS
Ten adolescents with T1DM and HbA1c readings greater then 7.0% were recruited from a large, Midwestern Children's Hospital. The intervention consisted of a 1-h session followed by three weekly phone calls, which focused on cognitive restructuring and problem-solving training. Measures of diabetes-related stress and concerns surrounding self-care in social situations were completed by the adolescents pre- and post-intervention and at one-month follow-up.


RESULTS
A series of repeated measure ANOVAS did not reveal significant differences between pre-intervention and follow-up scores across measures.


CONCLUSIONS
While there were no significant differences between pre-intervention and follow-up scores, the results highlight some important trends. Specifically, preliminary results suggest that the trends in individual scores indicate that problem-solving may be helpful for improving adherence in social situations.
Salamon
Katherine Simon
KS
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 East Hartford Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA. ksalamon@uwm.edu
Hains
Anthony Allen
AA
Fleischman
Katie Marie
KM
Davies
William Hobart
WH
Kichler
Jessica
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012648:Self Care; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome