An Intervention to Decrease Uncertainty and Distress Among Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

This pilot study reports findings from a randomized clinical trial of a novel intervention for parents of children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The intervention was designed to decrease parental uncertainty and distress as well as child behavioral problems by teaching parents skills to manage uncertainty. Thirty-four families were randomly assigned to either an intervention (IG) or a treatment as usual (TAU) group. Parents completed measures of distress, uncertainty, and child behavior problems at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months postintervention. In the IG, significant reductions were observed for maternal and paternal distress as well as maternal ratings of child behavior problems. No changes were observed for the TAU, except for father-reported reductions in child internalizing symptoms at 1 month postintervention. Preliminary data suggest that, with further development and testing, the intervention has potential to be an effective tool to reduce paternal distress and possibly child behavior problems.

The Relationship of Father Parenting Capacity Variables to Perceived Uncertainty in Youth With a Chronic Illness

“…Moreover, higher levels of illness uncertainty in a sample of children with cancer led to negative emotional arousal and significantly interfered with their ability to cope with illness-related stressors and other aversive events (Stewart, 2003). In fact, given the extensive literature demonstrating the negative effects of illness uncertainty, treatment studies focusing on targeting illness uncertainty have emerged, with initial results demonstrating successful reductions in parent distress (Hoff et al, 2005).…”

The Association of Illness Uncertainty to Parent and Youth Adjustment in Juvenile Rheumatic Diseases: Effect of Youth Age

“…16 -18 In fact, recent interventions have been created that specifically aim to reduce uncertainty in parent populations due to its deleterious effects. 19 One important area of investigation that remains undetermined is whether this relation of parental uncertainty to parent or youth adjustment is contingent on youth age. Although age and developmental level have been shown to be related to various facets of chronic illness care, 20 it is unclear whether parental uncertainty varies developmentally in a similar manner as other cognitive appraisal variables.…”

Diabetes Mellitus

“…Parents of children with diabetes also may encounter signifi cant stress and uncertainty, such that they too might benefi t from support groups. Hoff et al ( 2005 ) discovered that groups for parents of children newly diagnosed with diabetes showed promise for decreasing parent stress and improving child behaviors. For their intervention, parents received training to minimize feelings of uncertainty and distress.…”