Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to reduce diabetes distress in emerging adults (18-35 years) with type 1 diabetes and moderate-to-severe diabetes distress.
The expectation is that a group-based psychological intervention (ACTnow) will not only reduce diabetes distress but also improve psychological well-being and glycemic outcomes.
The intervention involves a multidisciplinary team, including nurses, psychologists, and physicians, and is designed in a format that can easily be integrated into future standard care.
The main research questions are:
- Does a group-based psychological intervention reduce diabetes distress?
- Does a group-based psychological intervention improve psychological well-being and glycemic outcomes?
Researchers will compare the group-based psychological intervention (arm 1) with a waitlist control group, which will receive the intervention after three months (arm 2).
Participants will first attend a virtual screening interview with a psychologist or nurse to identify if they are eligible to participate in the study. After randomization, the intervention group receives six bi-weekly sessions, each lasting two hours, led by a psychologist and nurse. Each session includes a mindfulness exercise, a review of the previous session, a new topic, individual homework assignments, and a conclusion.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Type 1 diabetes for at least 6 months
- Age between 18 and 35
- T1-DDS score ≥ 2, or T1-DDS subscale score ≥ 2
- Treated in a diabetes clinic in the Region of Southern Denmark
- Proficient in Danish
Exclusion Criteria:
- Psychiatric diagnosis: diagnosed with substance abuse, alcohol abuse, psychosis, schizophrenia or any other psychiatric diagnosis that may compromise participation in the intervention
- Cognitive disorders such as brain injury
- Complex challenges best suited to individual treatment
- Current therapeutic treatment for depression, anxiety or stress
- Not stable medication for anxiety/depression for the past two months or planned change in medication for anxiety/depression during the project period