Description

A total of 60 young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) will be enrolled in the study. Participants will be randomly allocated to either a coaching intervention or an education intervention for 12 weeks. During the 12-week program, participants in the coaching intervention will take part in 8-10 sessions with a health coach, where experiences living with diabetes and goals related to diabetes management, communication with a support system, and overall wellbeing will be discussed. Participants in the education intervention will receive generalized educational messages about diabetes and diabetes distress exclusively via automated emails. Before and after the program, participants will complete surveys to provide an understanding of how diabetes and diabetes-related distress are being managed. After completing the respective interventions, participants will have a one-on-one interview with the research team to discuss their experience with the program and potential areas for improvement.

The goal of the program is to enhance the quality of life for young adults with T1D who experience significant emotional burdens associated with the condition. The study addresses a critical research gap by integrating mental health support with diabetes management, a need historically underserved in healthcare settings. By developing a structured mental health intervention that is accessible and scalable, the study addresses the need for a model of whole-person care that incorporates psychological aspects as part of standard diabetes management. The model of care and findings could potentially be applied to other chronic conditions, broadening the impact of the study beyond diabetes to other areas of chronic disease management.