Perspectives of a 2-Day Support Program for Parents of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes – The TEAM T1 Program  — ASN Events
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  3. Perspectives of a 2-Day Support Program for Parents of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes – The TEAM T1 Program 

Perspectives of a 2-Day Support Program for Parents of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes – The TEAM T1 Program  (#53)

Virginia Hagger 1 2 , Eileen Collins 2 , Kim Duggan-Larkin 2 , Christel Hendrieckx 1 , Andrew Cotterill 3 , Jane Speight 1
  1. Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, Deakin University and Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  3. Queensland Diabetes Centre, Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Introduction: Adolescents who lack parental support/involvement or report family conflict regarding type 1 diabetes (T1D) management are less likely to be actively engaged in self-management and have optimal glycaemic outcomes. Teens Empowered to Actively Manage Type 1 Diabetes (TEAM T1) is a 5-day, skills-based, structured education program that supports adolescents to more actively self-manage their diabetes. A concurrent 2-day parent program is designed to provide complementary education and improve family communication about T1D.

Aims: We examined the parents’ perceptions and acceptability of the 2-day program and their intended behaviour changes.

Methods: From April 2013 to April 2015, 29 parent programs ran in 11 centres (4 states). 151 parents (79% mothers) attended. A 40-item, anonymous questionnaire was completed immediately post-program, rating the helpfulness of the program content and its interactive format. Open-ended questions asked about intended behaviour changes.

 Results: A total of 99 parents (66%) completed the survey. 97% rated all sessions helpful and relevant. 38% commented that meeting and sharing experiences with other parents was the most valuable aspect. All parents were confident that taking part in TEAM T1 would improve their child’s self-care. 18% intended to communicate more positively about diabetes with their child; 9% planned to encourage their child to be more independent and involved in self-management and 8% intended to provide more support to their child (e.g. with dose adjustment, glucose monitoring and sick day management).

Conclusion:  The TEAM T1 parent program is a unique approach to improving family support for and communication about adolescents’ T1D management. Parents found the 2-day program a positive experience and rated content and format highly. Hearing other parents’ stories normalised their experiences of having a child with diabetes and enabled them to better understand diabetes from their child’s perspective. Further evaluation of participant outcomes is underway.