Stress and Coping Group Intervention for Youth with Type 1 Diabetes at a Summer Camp

Abstract

Youth living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) can experience significant disease-related stressors. Best practice recommendations for T1D highlight the importance of addressing the needs of the whole child, which requires consideration of the reciprocal relationship of biological, psychological, and social factors. Stress and coping interventions designed to address the unique difficulties faced by youth with T1D have proven to be efficacious and beneficial. Summer camps for youth with T1D provide an opportunity for youth with a similar experience to come together in a controlled and safe environment. The camp setting is a valid option for delivery of a diabetes stress and coping intervention because it can be incorporated within regular education programming and has a similar goal of teaching youth the skills to manage T1D. The present study evaluated the implementation of a brief, targeted, diabetes-specific stress and coping intervention named Working on Knowing Everything (WoKE) About Diabetes, and its utility for reducing diabetes-related stressors by teaching adaptive coping skills. Results from this study are promising regarding the feasibility and acceptability of implementing psychosocial interventions in non-traditional settings. Additionally, results indicated preliminary effectiveness in relation to reducing diabetes-related stress from baseline to the end of the camp week and maintained a month after camp.