Investigators: Dr Keely Bebbington, Ms Jesse Ingram, Dr Amelia Harray, Dr Amy Finlay-Jones, Dr Craig Taplin, Prof Timothy Jones
Project description
Parents caring for a child with type 1 diabetes (T1D) frequently experience elevated stress. These diabetes-related stressors are exacerbated in parents of young children (i.e., under 6 years old), as the children are completely dependent on caregivers for undertaking management tasks, e.g., blood glucose monitoring and insulin injections. Despite the well-known psychological impact associated with caring for a child with T1D, parents are not routinely offered psychological support. Moreover, there have been no interventions trialled in parents of young children, who face unique stressors due to their child’s developmental stage.
This project aims to pilot the Promoting Resilience in Stress Management for Parents (PRISM-P) intervention in parents of young children with T1D. PRISM-P consists of four skill-based modules: stress management, goal setting, cognitive restructuring, and benefit-finding. This pilot study aims to examine the acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of PRISM-P.
Upon receiving informed consent, all participants will complete baseline psychosocial measures assessing resilience, diabetes benefit-finding, diabetes caregiver burden, and negative emotional symptoms. We will also record their child’s latest glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Participants will then be randomised to an intervention (n = 15) or a usual care control group (n = 15). Two weeks post-baseline assessment, participants in the intervention group will start receiving the PRISM-P intervention. The intervention consists of three one-on-one sessions delivered approximately 2 weeks apart, via videocall. After the final session, and 6 weeks post-baseline, both groups will complete psychosocial measures again. Participants in the intervention group will also complete measures assessing the acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention and participate in a debriefing interview. Approximately 12 weeks post-baseline assessment, all participants will complete psychosocial measures for a final time and HbA1c levels will be recorded for a second time. The PRISM-P intervention will then be offered to the usual care control group.
Project outputs
The findings of this study will be published as part of a PhD thesis. Additionally, it is expected that the findings from this study will be disseminated through peer-review publications and conference presentations.
External collaborators
- A/Prof Jeneva Ohan – Associate Professor, Clinical Psychologist, School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia
- Dr Joyce Yi-Frazier – Senior Clinical Research Scientist, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
Funders
- Diabetes Australia