Reducing emotional distress to help adults with type 1 diabetes
Official title: ACT1VATE: Addressing Emotional Distress to Improve Outcomes among Diverse Adults with Type 1 Diabetes
Funded at Scripps Health · NIH-10896294 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares adding a psychological program called ACT1VATE to standard diabetes education for adults with type 1 diabetes who have high emotional distress and trouble controlling their blood sugar.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $646,559 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK127491-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10896294 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (approximately 21 years and older) with type 1 diabetes, poor glycemic control, and significant diabetes distress who receive care at Scripps and can join telemedicine group sessions are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with type 2 diabetes, those with well-controlled type 1 diabetes and little distress, minors, or those unable to access Scripps care or telemedicine sessions are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would join a large randomized trial of about 484 adults with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes and significant diabetes-related emotional distress. Everyone receives standard one-on-one diabetes education from a certified diabetes educator, then is randomly assigned to five telemedicine group sessions of either traditional support groups or the ACT1VATE psychological program delivered by a behavioral health provider embedded in the diabetes clinic. The study team will use Scripps electronic health records to find eligible patients and to track changes in blood sugar control over time. The project looks at whether adding ACT1VATE to usual education helps people manage diabetes better and feel less distressed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce diabetes-related emotional distress and improve blood sugar control for adults with type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Some smaller psychological programs have shown promise for reducing diabetes distress, but combining an ACT-style intervention with standard diabetes education in a large randomized trial like this is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Health
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fortmann, Adelaide L — Scripps Health
- Study coordinator: Fortmann, Adelaide L
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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.