A Pilot Study of Biomarkers of Stress in Youth Who Use Teens.Connect
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- diagnosed with T1D for at least 6 months;
- age 11 to 14 years
- naïve to TEENCOPE and/or Managing Diabetes
- assent and parent/guardian consent to participate in the study
Exclusion Criteria:
- medical condition that impacts cortisol functioning
- takes medications that impact cortisol, except diabetes medications
- sleeps less than 6 hours per night
- smokes
- takes oral contraceptives
Sites / Locations
- Yale School of Nursing
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
Teens.Connect
Control
The Teens-Connect internet-based program has two complementary components - TEENCOPE and Managing Diabetes. Managing Diabetes consists of 5 sessions on educational content related to diabetes self management targeted to adolescents. TEENCOPE consists of a series of 5 sessions designed to increase children's sense of competence and mastery by retraining inappropriate or non-constructive coping styles and forming more positive styles and patterns of behavior. Each week a new 30-45 minute session is uploaded to a password-protected website on the Yale server for youth to complete. Youth are grouped with 8-12 peers who complete the same weekly sessions in an asynchronous manner. Youth interact with each other on an online discussion board moderated by a clinical psychologist.
Wait listing will serve as the control condition. Usual care at the Yale Pediatric Diabetes Center consists of quarterly visits with physicians and nurse practitioners, accessibility to nutritional and psychological consultation, and 24/7 on call service. Following completion of the 6 month data point, youth will be offered the opportunity to participate in the internet program.