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Family therapy for adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes: Initial test of clinical significance

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

ObjectiveWe examined a structured family therapy approach in promoting clinically meaningful improvements in parentadolescent conflict in adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes.MethodEighteen adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes and their parent(s) participated in 10 sessions of home-based Behavioral Family Systems Therapy (BFST). Outcome comparisons were made using a sample of adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes (n 40) from a previous study. Clinically significant improvements were determined by calculating SD differences between treatment and comparison groups on measures of diabetes-related and general parentadolescent conflict.ResultsHome-based BFST produced change in diabetes-related family conflict ranging from 1/3 to 1/2 SD and general family conflict ranging from 1/3 to 3/4 SD.ConclusionsBFST produced change in family conflict, a variable shown through previous research to relate to treatment adherence in adolescents with diabetes. The test of clinical significance represents an example of a method useful for pediatric research.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1097-1107
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of pediatric psychology
Volume34
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2009

Funding

The work reported here was supported by grants from the Diabetes Research and Training Center at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and the American Diabetes Association awarded to the first author and by NIH grants P60-DK20579 and RR00036 which support the Diabetes Research and Training Center and General Clinical Research Center at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Additional acknowledgements are extended to all those who worked on one or both studies including Tim Wysocki. PhD, Lisa Buckloh, PhD, Michelle Sadler, RN, CDE, Deborah Mertlich, MSW, Holly Antal, PhD, and Rhea Oelbaum, MSW.

FundersFunder number
Author National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health The Bev Hartig Huntington's Disease Foundation National Institutes of HealthP60-DK20579
American Diabetes Association
National Center for Research ResourcesM01RR000036
Department of Neurosurgery Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
    • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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