Pilot Brief Communal Coping Intervention for Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

May 19, 2025 updated by: Vicki Helgeson, Carnegie Mellon University

Communal Coping Intervention for Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

We plan to develop a communal coping intervention aimed at instilling a shared appraisal of diabetes and increasing patient-partner collaboration. To that end, we will pilot the first randomized clinical trial of a brief communal coping intervention among couples in which one person has T1D

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

We will recruit 66 couples in which one person has type 1 diabetes. Power is based on effect sizes from previous couple intervention studies and meta-analyses on primary outcomes. Couples will be randomly assigned to either a communal coping intervention or an attention (diabetes education) control group. All couples will come to the laboratory or meet via zoom, complete a baseline questionnaire assessment (primary and secondary outcomes, mediators) and have a videotaped conversation about how they cope with diabetes. The intervention group will receive the communal coping intervention. Couples in the intervention group will identify 5 collaborative implementation intentions, whereas controls will identify 5 individual implementation intentions. After the in-person session, couples will individually complete a daily diary at the end of the day for 14 consecutive days which focuses on daily communication, mood, and patient self-care. During the first 7 days, the intervention group will receive two text messages per day (morning focus on shared appraisal, evening focus on one of collaborative implementation intentions identified during in-person session). An in-person follow-up interview will take place 6 weeks after the initial session, during which primary outcomes, secondary outcomes, and mediators will be assessed and the videotaped conversation repeated.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
        • Carnegie Mellon University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosis of type 1 diabetes for at least one year

    • married or living with someone for at least one year who is willing to participate in the study as the study partner
    • age 18 and over
    • reliable access to the internet at home

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Non-English speakers
  • Patient has a major chronic illness that affects daily life more than diabetes (e.g., currently undergoing treatment for cancer)
  • Partner does not consent to participate in study
  • Partner has diabetes

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Communal Coping Intervention

The intervention consists of a single session brief communal coping intervention followed by 7 days of intervention prompts delivered via text message to help couples generalize what they have learned into their daily life. There are 9 components to the intervention:

  1. establishment of rapport
  2. shared stressor recollection
  3. communal coping education
  4. application of appraisal to diabetes
  5. we-statements to reframe diabetes as shared
  6. facilitated discussion between couple members to identify each person's needs with active listening
  7. collaborative implementation intentions
  8. EMI text messaging for 7 days following intervention
Behavioral: Communal Coping Intervention
The components of the intervention were described in the experimental arm.
No Intervention: Diabetes Education Attention Control
These participants will receive diabetes education via a 15-20 minute videotape (as well the intervention group)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in Type 1 Diabetes Distress Scale (Fisher et al., 2015) from baseline to 6 weeks; higher scores = more distress; range 1-6; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
diabetes distress
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in Self-Care Inventory from baseline to 6 weeks; higher score = better self-care; range 1-5; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
self-management
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in hemoglobin a1c from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = poorer outcome
Time Frame: baseline, 6 week followup
test kit
baseline, 6 week followup
change in time in range from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = better outcome; range 0 to 100%; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline (from past 2 weeks), end of 2-week ecological momentary assessment (from past 2 weeks), 6-week followup (past 2 weeks)
data downloaded from continuous glucose monitors
baseline (from past 2 weeks), end of 2-week ecological momentary assessment (from past 2 weeks), 6-week followup (past 2 weeks)
change in Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = more depressive symptoms; range = 0 to 30; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
depressive symptoms
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in Diener's life satisfaction scale from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers= more life satisfaction; range = 1-7; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
life satisfaction
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in Quality of Marriage Index and intimacy subscale from Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = better; range = 1 to 7; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
relationship quality
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in communal coping from baseline to 6 weeks; higher = more communal copingl; range = 0 to 10; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
self-reports of communal coping, raters coding of communal coping from videotapes, we-talk from brief interview
baseline, abbreviated for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in social support and negative social interactions from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = more support or more negative interactions; range = 1-7; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
emotional, instrumental, informational support, criticism, overprotective behavior
baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in diabetes communication from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = more communication; range = 0 to 10; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
self-report of diabetes communication, videotaped observations
baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
change in self-efficacy subscale from Multidimensional Diabetes Questionnaire from baseline to 6 weeks; higher numbers = greater efficacy; range = 0 to 100%; also change over ecological momentary assessment period
Time Frame: baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup
self-efficacy with diabetes management
baseline, abbreviated for for ecological momentary assessment, 6-week followup

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Carnegie Mellon University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Vicki Helgeson, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 2, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 19, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 19, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 22, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 22, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 29, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 22, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 19, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY2022 00000269

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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