Mindfulness program to help mood and diabetes care in young people with Type 1 diabetes
Official title: Pragmatic Clinic-Based Trial of a Mindfulness Based Intervention for Mood Concerns in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Funded at Children's Research Institute · NIH-11184355 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This offers a short, clinic-based group mindfulness program to help teens and young people with Type 1 diabetes manage mood, stress, and daily diabetes care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $715,682 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137859-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184355 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young people with Type 1 diabetes who are experiencing anxiety, depression, or trouble keeping up with daily diabetes care.
✕Less likely to help
Children without mood or adherence problems, very young children who cannot participate in group sessions, or people needing more intensive psychiatric care may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would be invited to join a 7-week, clinic-based group program adapted for young people with Type 1 diabetes that teaches mindfulness skills for handling stress and strong emotions. Groups are based on the Learning to BREATHE model and compared with a health-education program to see which helps most with mood and diabetes routines. The study tracks mood symptoms, diabetes treatment adherence, eating behaviors, and blood sugar control over time. The team previously ran a pilot that showed the program is acceptable and can be delivered in clinic settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could ease anxiety and depression, improve daily diabetes self-care, and help with blood sugar control in young people with T1D.
How similar studies have gone: Previous mindfulness programs for adolescents and for people with chronic illnesses have shown promise for reducing stress and improving wellbeing, and a pilot of this adapted program showed feasibility, but evidence for clear effects on blood sugar is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Research Institute
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mackey, Eleanor Race — Children's Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Mackey, Eleanor Race
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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A practical mindfulness-based program delivered in clinics aims to help mood problems and improve diabetes management for young people with Type 1 diabetes.
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Mindfulness intervention for mood issues in youth with Type 1 diabetes
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.