Evaluation of a structured type 1 diabetes education program for adolescents and parents: Teens Empowered to Actively Manage Type 1 ( TEAM T1 )

AIM: To examine changes in psychological and clinical outcomes among adolescents and parents after structured type 1 diabetes education delivered in routine care. METHODS: Teens Empowered to Actively Manage Type 1 Diabetes (TEAM T1) is a psycho-educational program (adolescents: 5-day; parents: 2-day), designed to teach adolescents (aged 12-19) and parents flexible, intensive insulin therapy and adaptive coping with diabetes. A quasi-experimental design assessed diabetes distress (DD) (PAID: teen and parent versions), diabetes management self-efficacy (DMSE), diabetes-related family conflict (DRFC: two items), and HbA1c at baseline, 3- and 12-month post-program. RESULTS: In total, 207 adolescents and 207 parents completed TEAM T1 (86% attended the full program; 178 adolescents, mean age 16 ± 1 years, 54% (n = 96) female) and 125 parents (86% (n = 108) mothers) completed baseline questionnaires. There was no change in DD, DRFC or HbA1c (p ≥ 0.05). However, at 3 months, DMSE increased (0.14, p < 0.008), and among 78 (48%) adolescents with elevated baseline DD (PAID-T ≥70), DD decreased (-7.36, p = 0.025). HbA1c decreased among those with high baseline HbA1c (>75 mmol/mol; 9.0%); 34%, n = 56; p = 0.002 but increased among those