The effectiveness of psychological interventions for families of children with Type 1 diabetes on caregiver and child functioning: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
The effectiveness of psychological interventions for families of children with Type 1 diabetes on caregiver and child functioning: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Background: research suggests that the wellbeing of caregivers of children with Type 1 Diabetes can influence child health outcomes. Therefore, the aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effect of psychological interventions for families of children with Type 1 Diabetes on caregiver and child functioning.
Methods: a systematic search of the literature identified 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met inclusion. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool.
Results: fifty-one trials had sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis, analyzing nine variables (caregiver and child psychological distress, diabetes distress, family conflict and child quality of life (QoL), diabetes QoL and blood glucose) over three timepoints (post-intervention, short-term and long-term follow-up). Results from 10 (n = 550), three (n = 347) and 16 RCTs (n = 1631) respectively indicated that psychological interventions significantly reduced caregiver psychological distress post-intervention (SMD = −0.64, 95% CI = −1.15, −0.12), child psychological distress post-intervention (SMD = −0.34, 95% CI = −0.55, −0.31) and child blood glucose at short-term follow-up (SMD = −0.11, 95% CI = −0.21, −0.01), relative to controls.
Conclusions: participants allocated to controls showed greater reductions in caregiver diabetes family conflict at short-and long-term follow−up than those assigned to psychological interventions. This was explained by significant baseline differences influencing a small number of studies. Studies were highly heterogenous regarding outcome measures, follow-ups, and interventions, with high concerns of bias often observed, reflecting the complexity of real−world clinical practice. Findings are promising. Appropriately powered RCTs with robust randomization are recommended to investigate the significance of effects, whilst considering dose response.
Type 1 Diabetes, caregiver function, child function, family intervention, psychological intervention
e70112
Wakelin, Katherine E.
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Read, Rebecca K.
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Williams, Ashely Y.
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Francois‐Walcott, Rachel R.
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O'Donnell, Nicola
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Satherley, Rose‐Marie
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Harrington, Megan P.
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John, Mary
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Jones, Christina J.
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17 June 2025
Wakelin, Katherine E.
0b1d4e39-377b-4a79-be7c-dabc21a4bcfa
Read, Rebecca K.
923f80e2-aa46-4666-ac3f-668b0c3c0862
Williams, Ashely Y.
8bc314e9-d21d-428f-bfe3-946cbc9292f4
Francois‐Walcott, Rachel R.
0d0708f7-a047-4219-a27d-b30ede74fa56
O'Donnell, Nicola
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Satherley, Rose‐Marie
146f3e94-4398-4956-9055-ea1baef0e200
Harrington, Megan P.
494bddd2-cd0b-48e6-9060-0744a0e77318
John, Mary
af9edd9d-82be-41eb-b6b8-03f63db3fbc2
Jones, Christina J.
69dd533c-9a3b-413d-9381-1de9c621743d
Wakelin, Katherine E., Read, Rebecca K., Williams, Ashely Y., Francois‐Walcott, Rachel R., O'Donnell, Nicola, Satherley, Rose‐Marie, Harrington, Megan P., John, Mary and Jones, Christina J.
(2025)
The effectiveness of psychological interventions for families of children with Type 1 diabetes on caregiver and child functioning: a systematic review and meta‐analysis.
Journal of Diabetes, 17 (6), , [e70112].
(doi:10.1111/1753-0407.70112).
Abstract
Background: research suggests that the wellbeing of caregivers of children with Type 1 Diabetes can influence child health outcomes. Therefore, the aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effect of psychological interventions for families of children with Type 1 Diabetes on caregiver and child functioning.
Methods: a systematic search of the literature identified 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met inclusion. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool.
Results: fifty-one trials had sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis, analyzing nine variables (caregiver and child psychological distress, diabetes distress, family conflict and child quality of life (QoL), diabetes QoL and blood glucose) over three timepoints (post-intervention, short-term and long-term follow-up). Results from 10 (n = 550), three (n = 347) and 16 RCTs (n = 1631) respectively indicated that psychological interventions significantly reduced caregiver psychological distress post-intervention (SMD = −0.64, 95% CI = −1.15, −0.12), child psychological distress post-intervention (SMD = −0.34, 95% CI = −0.55, −0.31) and child blood glucose at short-term follow-up (SMD = −0.11, 95% CI = −0.21, −0.01), relative to controls.
Conclusions: participants allocated to controls showed greater reductions in caregiver diabetes family conflict at short-and long-term follow−up than those assigned to psychological interventions. This was explained by significant baseline differences influencing a small number of studies. Studies were highly heterogenous regarding outcome measures, follow-ups, and interventions, with high concerns of bias often observed, reflecting the complexity of real−world clinical practice. Findings are promising. Appropriately powered RCTs with robust randomization are recommended to investigate the significance of effects, whilst considering dose response.
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Journal of Diabetes - 2025 - Wakelin - The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Families of Children With Type
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Accepted/In Press date: 26 May 2025
Published date: 17 June 2025
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Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Diabetes published by Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Keywords:
Type 1 Diabetes, caregiver function, child function, family intervention, psychological intervention
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Local EPrints ID: 502619
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/502619
ISSN: 1753-0393
PURE UUID: 72a73229-a335-4e7a-925f-9184c393259d
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Date deposited: 02 Jul 2025 13:41
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:49
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Contributors
Author:
Katherine E. Wakelin
Author:
Rebecca K. Read
Author:
Ashely Y. Williams
Author:
Rachel R. Francois‐Walcott
Author:
Nicola O'Donnell
Author:
Rose‐Marie Satherley
Author:
Megan P. Harrington
Author:
Mary John
Author:
Christina J. Jones
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