Communal Coping Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes

Overseen By Abigail Vaughn, B.A.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Carnegie Mellon University

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers, Major chronic illness, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new method to help couples manage Type 2 diabetes together. It emphasizes creating a shared understanding of the condition and improving teamwork between partners. Participants will either join a session that teaches these skills through the Communal Coping Intervention or watch a diabetes education video. Ideal candidates for this trial include individuals who have had Type 2 diabetes for at least a year and live with a partner willing to participate. Reliable home internet is necessary, as part of the study occurs online. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity for couples to enhance their diabetes management skills together.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on a coping intervention rather than medication changes.

What prior data suggests that the Communal Coping Intervention is safe for couples dealing with Type 2 Diabetes?

Research has shown that communal coping, where people collaborate to manage stress and illness, is generally safe and well-tolerated. While specific data on negative effects from this approach is lacking, it involves communication and collaboration, which typically don't cause physical harm. Since this trial doesn't focus on safety testing like drug trials, the treatment is likely low-risk. This method emphasizes behavior and support, usually resulting in fewer side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike standard diabetes treatments that focus on medication and diet changes, the Communal Coping Intervention is unique because it emphasizes the emotional and relational aspects of managing Type 2 Diabetes. It involves a single session where couples learn to view diabetes as a shared challenge, not just an individual one. This approach uses "we-statements" and active listening to foster collaboration, followed by supportive text messages for a week to help integrate these practices into daily life. Researchers are excited about this method as it could enhance treatment adherence and improve overall well-being by strengthening the couple's partnership in managing the condition.

What evidence suggests that the Communal Coping Intervention is effective for Type 2 Diabetes?

This trial will compare the Communal Coping Intervention with a Diabetes Education Attention Control. Studies have shown that collaborating with a partner can benefit individuals with type 2 diabetes. Research indicates that sharing the stress of managing diabetes with a partner can enhance mood, boost happiness, and reduce anger and depression. Additionally, couples who manage diabetes together often take better care of themselves and support each other more effectively. In one study involving couples, those who worked together reported better overall health. These findings suggest that a team approach might help people manage their diabetes more successfully. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Vicki S Helgeson, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Carnegie Mellon University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults with Type 2 Diabetes who are in a relationship where both partners are willing to participate. The study aims to see if working together as a couple can help manage diabetes better.

Inclusion Criteria

Married or living with someone for at least one year who is willing to participate in the study as the study partner

Reliable access to the internet at home

I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least one year.

Exclusion Criteria

Non-English speakers

Partner does not consent to participate in study

Partner has diabetes

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Couples participate in a single session communal coping intervention followed by 7 days of text message prompts

1 week

1 visit (in-person or virtual), daily text messages

Daily Diary

Participants complete a daily diary for 14 consecutive days focusing on daily communication, mood, and patient self-care

2 weeks

Follow-up

An in-person follow-up interview takes place 6 weeks after the initial session to assess primary and secondary outcomes

6 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Communal Coping Intervention

Trial Overview The trial is testing a new strategy called 'Communal Coping Intervention' which encourages couples to work together in managing one partner's Type 2 Diabetes, aiming to improve health outcomes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Communal Coping Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Experimental: Communal Coping Intervention The intervention consists of a single session brief communal coping intervention followed by 7 days of intervention prompts delivered via text message to help couples generalize what they have learned into their daily life. There are 9 components to the intervention: establishment of rapport, shared stressor recollection, communal coping education, application of appraisal to diabetes, we-statements to reframe diabetes as shared, facilitated discussion between couple members to identify each person's needs with active listening, collaborative implementation intentions, EMI (ecological momentary intervention) text messaging for 7 days following intervention

Group II: Diabetes Education Attention Control Active Control 1 Intervention

These participants will receive diabetes education via a 15-20 minute videotape (as well the intervention group)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Carnegie Mellon University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

80

Recruited

540,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 119 heterosexual couples dealing with a recent Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, communal coping—where partners collaboratively address illness-related issues—was linked to improved problem-solving and mood for both partners.

The results indicated that communal coping positively influenced relationship quality and reduced psychological distress, suggesting that working together in managing diabetes can enhance overall well-being for couples.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communally coping with diabetes: An observational investigation using the actor-partner interdependence model. Van Vleet, M., Helgeson, VS., Seltman, HJ., et al.[2021]

The study analyzed interviews with 28 individuals with type 2 diabetes and their family members, revealing that the cognitive aspect of communal coping involves how family members perceive ownership of the problem and their influence over it.

Appraisals of the diabetes situation are shaped by the family's knowledge of the disease and the patient's changing health status, highlighting the importance of education and communication in managing chronic illnesses within families.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Explicating the Appraisal Dimension of the Communal Coping Model. Basinger, ED.[2022]

The study tested the communal coping model in the context of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and found that coping together as a family can lead to better health outcomes for patients, highlighting the importance of social support.

Three distinct types of communal coping were identified, suggesting that both shared cognitive appraisals and joint actions can positively influence family cohesion and individual outcomes in managing T2D.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing a Dimensional Versus a Typological Approach to the Communal Coping Model in the Context of Type 2 Diabetes. Basinger, ED.[2021]

In a study of 199 couples where one partner had Type 1 diabetes, higher levels of shared illness appraisals between patients and spouses were linked to better self-care and fewer self-regulation failures in diabetes management.

However, when illness appraisals were less shared, collaborative and supportive strategies from spouses were associated with poorer self-care and higher blood glucose levels, indicating that the effectiveness of these strategies depends on the perception of shared illness between partners.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Daily illness appraisal and collaboration in couples with type 1 diabetes. Berg, CA., Helgeson, VS., Tracy, EL., et al.[2021]

Communal coping, where patients with type 2 diabetes and their spouses work together to address illness-related challenges, leads to greater support from spouses and better receptivity from patients, enhancing immediate interaction outcomes.

Over a 6-month period, communal coping by patients was linked to improved long-term diabetes outcomes, such as increased self-efficacy and reduced diabetes distress, highlighting the importance of collaborative approaches in managing chronic illnesses.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An examination of the communal coping process in recently diagnosed diabetes. Van Vleet, M., Helgeson, VS., Seltman, HJ., et al.[2020]

The paper presents a narrative intervention aimed at promoting communal coping among couples dealing with chronic illnesses, specifically diabetes, by encouraging them to view their health challenges as a shared problem.

This intervention is unique as it relies solely on a series of open-ended questions across eight modules, rather than providing direct instructions, fostering teamwork and collaboration without imposing solutions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Constructing We-ness: A Communal Coping Intervention for Couples Facing Chronic Illness. Rohrbaugh, MJ.[2021]

Communal coping, where partners collaboratively manage stressors, is linked to improved relationship and psychological functioning among couples dealing with type 2 diabetes, based on a study of 200 couples.

The benefits of communal coping vary by role, sex, and race; for instance, partner communal coping is more advantageous for patients, while men benefit more from their own coping, and White patients and Black spouses gain more from their own communal coping compared to the reverse.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Links of communal coping to relationship and psychological health in type 2 diabetes: actor-partner interdependence models involving role, sex, and race. Helgeson, VS., Naqvi, JB., Seltman, H., et al.[2022]

In a study of 86 couples managing type 2 diabetes, communal coping was found to improve relationship quality and reduce distress for patients with low avoidant attachment.

However, for patients with high avoidant attachment, communal coping led to lower relationship quality and higher distress, indicating that attachment style can significantly influence the effectiveness of communal coping strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I am a rock; I am an island: Implications of avoidant attachment for communal coping in adults with type 2 diabetes. Van Vleet, M., Helgeson, VS.[2021]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12373002/

Communal Coping with Type 2 Diabetes: A Five-Year ... The present report compares communal coping across the two daily diary assessments as well as the links of communal coping to mood, coping ...

2. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-53328-001

Communal coping with type 2 diabetes: A 5-year ... Objective: Communal coping is an interpersonal coping style that has been linked to positive psychosocial and health outcomes.

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9798461/

A Multi-Method Approach to Measuring Communal Coping ... The study goals were to assess how individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes communally cope with their romantic partner using multiple methods.

4. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/322565461_Daily_Communal_Coping_in_Couples_With_Type_2_Diabetes_Links_to_Mood_and_Self-Care

Daily Communal Coping in Couples With Type 2 Diabetes Results Multilevel APIM showed that actor communal coping was associated with lower depressed mood, higher happy mood, and lower angry mood and ...

5. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/02654075221135873

Links of daily shared appraisal and collaboration to support ... In a study of 200 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and their spouses, daily reports of shared appraisal and collaboration, mood, ...

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40839454/

Communal coping with type 2 diabetes: A 5-year ... - PubMed Results: Communal coping decreased across the 5 years among the 99 PWD. Consistent with past research, within- and between-person communal ...

7. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2018-24942-001.html?sr=1

Communally coping with diabetes: An observational ... Communal coping is a form of interpersonal coping that involves a shared illness appraisal and collaborating to address illness-related issues.

8. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0265407518761226

An examination of the communal coping process in ... Communal coping, which involves a shared illness appraisal and engaging in collaboration when illness-related problems arise, ...

9. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05925556

Pilot Brief Communal Coping Intervention for Adults With ... Study Overview. Brief Summary. We plan to develop a communal coping intervention aimed at instilling a shared appraisal of diabetes and increasing patient- ...