Interactive programme to enhance protective factors for eating disorders in girls with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a pilot programme in enhancing protective factors for eating disorders in young girls with type 1 diabetes (T1D).


METHODS
Twenty girls with T1D (M age = 11.06 years) attended two 4-h group sessions. A 4-week baseline control period was compared against changes at post-programme and at 1-month follow-up on measures of eating disorder risk factors and indicators of glycaemic control.


RESULTS
At post-intervention, significant improvements were found for self-efficacy related to diabetes management, self-esteem, body-esteem,thin-ideal internalization and perfectionism. These gains were maintained at 1-month follow-up. Participants were also rated by their parents as assuming more responsibility for specific diabetes-related tasks at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
A brief interactive programme can favourably impact protective factors for disordered eating. The development of effective disordered eating prevention strategies for girls with T1D is an urgent priority and the current study is a first step in this direction.
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. simon.wilksch@flinders.edu.au
Simon M
SM
Wilksch
Karina
K
Starkey
Anne
A
Gannoni
Tania
T
Kelly
Tracey D
TD
Wade
D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D012307:Risk Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
diabetes mellitus; eating disorder; prevention; risk factor; type 1