Successful use of family-based therapy interventions for uncontrolled type 1 diabetes in an adolescent

Abstract

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are at increased risk for poor treatment adherence and glycaemic lability. Parental involvement in a youth's diabetes regimen is associated with better outcomes, yet supported treatments may be inaccessible due to limited community resources and financial constraints. Furthermore, existing interventions emphasise a collaborative effort between family members, which may not be effective with youth with particular vulnerabilities. Similarities between T1DM and anorexia nervosa prompted our use of modified family-based therapy (FBT) with a 16-year-old male with poor glycaemic control. FBT-guided strategies were brief and implemented by a family medicine physician at routine visits. Medical symptoms dramatically improved over a four-month period, demonstrating that FBT tailored to T1DM warrants further investigation for youth with poor treatment adherence. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons.