Abstract
Objective: To describe the short-term results of a controlled trial of Behavioral Family Systems Therapy (BFST) for families of adolescents with diabetes. Methods: We randomized 119 families of adolescents with diabetes to 3 months' treatment with either BFST, an education and support Group (ES), or current therapy (CT). Family relationships, psychological adjustment to diabetes, treatment adherence and diabetic control were assessed at baseline, after 3 months of treatment (reported here), and 6 and 12 months later. Results: Compared with CT and ES, BFST yielded more improvement in parent-adolescent relations and reduced diabetes-specific conflict. Effects on psychological adjustment to diabetes and diabetic control were less robust and depended on the adolescent's age and gender. There were no effects on treatment adherence. Conclusions: BFST yielded some improvement in parent-adolescent relationships; its effects on diabetes outcomes depended on the adolescent's age and gender. Factors mediating the effectiveness of BFST must be clarified.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 23-33 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of pediatric psychology |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2000 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adolescents
- Behavior therapy
- Diabetes
- Family therapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Developmental and Educational Psychology