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NCT Number: NCT04016415

Decreasing Stress in Diabetes

The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the effects of an online 6-month Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention compared to an active control Stress Management Education (SME) on glucose control in adults with uncontrolled type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The study will randomize at least 290 adults with uncontrolled diabetes to a 6-month MBSR intervention or SME control. Both MBSR and SME will be delivered online by experienced instructors in a live interactive virtual classroom using videoconferencing. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, a follow-up phone call after Class #4, and study visits at 2-months (2MO) and 6-months (6MO).

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Key information

Conditions

Stress Autoimmune Diseases Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Endocrine System Diseases Glucose Metabolism Disorders Immune System Diseases Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center

Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

About this study

Specific Aims are: 1) To conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the effects of an online 6-month Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention compared to an active control Stress Management Education (SME) on glucose levels in at least 290 adults with uncontrolled type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Both MBSR and SME will be delivered online by experienced instructors in a live interactive virtual classroom using videoconferencing. The primary outcome will be hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a measure of the average glucose level over the past 3 months. We hypothesize that between the two groups, there will be a clinically significant 0.5% absolute difference in the mean change in HbA1c from baseline to 6-months. We will also look at the 2-month HbA1c, however it may be too brief a time period to fully capture the impact of MBSR. An absolute reduction in HbA1c of 0.5% would be expected to reduce the risk of any diabetes-related complication by at least 10%. Additionally, we will assess fasting glucose as a secondary outcome as it is linked with adverse health outcomes, and can be lowered with MBSR based on our pilot study; 2) To determine the effects of online MBSR compared to SME control on psychosocial, behavioral and physiological mechanisms potentially mediating the effects of MBSR and/or SME on glucose levels in adults with uncontrolled diabetes. Secondary outcomes include: diabetes-related distress, subjective stress, craving, the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on subjects' lives, subject expectancy, dietary intake, physical activity, and serum hsCRP as a marker of chronic inflammation. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) will be assessed at baseline. It is hypothesized that these measures may mediate the effects of MBSR and/or SME on glucose.

The proposed study has the potential to transform current standards of care for diabetes by using a novel long-term MBSR intervention as a powerful adjunct intervention for diabetes. MBSR could impact the clinical picture of diabetes by empowering patients with skills for strengthening their own internal resources to promote self regulation and adaptive coping and reduce stress reactivity, which are all essential for implementing healthy behaviors and are expected to lead to improved glucose control and reduced risk of diabetes complications. This proposal is relevant to the mission of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to conduct research on diabetes to improve people's health and quality of life.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Men and Women
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Diagnosed with diabetes for at least one year
  • Hemoglobin A1c ≥ 7.5% within 10 weeks and 2 days (72 days) before the start of the study intervention (Orientation session)
  • High Subjective stress defined as Perceived Stress Scale-10 score ≥ 12
  • Available for the intervention sessions with reasonable certainty
  • Have a device equipped with internet connection, camera and microphone and willingness to interact with study staff and class instructors virtually/remotely via this platform
  • Must have a Primary Care Provider (PCP)
  • Must have an accessible/active personal e-mail address or be willing to obtain one for study correspondence

Exclusion criteria

  • Current suicidality
  • History of, or meets Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) structured interview criteria for, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or other significant psychopathology; Those with depression or anxiety will be allowed to participate since they are under the care of a PCP.
  • Inpatient admission for psychiatric disorder within the past two years, or ER visit for psychiatric disorder within the past 10 weeks
  • Meets MINI structured interview criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder or Substance Use Disorder (Past 12 months)
  • Inability to read, write or speak English
  • Current enrollment in a stress reduction program, or in any other investigative study
  • Previous participation in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course
  • Pregnant women
  • Have a household member who is currently, or was previously, assigned to study treatment

Treatment and study plan

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Behavioral

Subjects randomized to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) will receive the 8-week University of Massachusetts Authorized MBSR curriculum followed by monthly mindfulness boosters in Months 3 to 6. The University of Massachusetts MBSR curriculum was selected for the intervention, as it is the most standardized and researched mindfulness program that has been shown to reduce psychological distress in various patient populations.

Stress Management Education

Behavioral

Subjects randomized to Stress Management Education (SME) will receive health education on nutrition (adapted for the type 2 diabetes population), exercise as gentle stretching to match yoga in MBSR, and other general health topics that may be relevant to the type 2 diabetes population such as sleep, time management, etc. Stress Management Education does not have any mindfulness in it. Stress Management Education was specifically created as a control condition for MBSR studies so it matches MBSR for time, social support, homework, etc.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in A1CNow® Self-Check Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Home Kit Values From Baseline to 6-Months (6MO)

    Time frame: Home HbA1c was collected during the screening and/or baseline visit (pre-randomization values; see Baseline Characteristics section), 2MO visit, and 6MO visit (post-randomization values). Baseline and 6MO data are reported here as the primary comparison.

    Home Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured and collected using the PTS Diagnostics A1CNow® Self-Check Kit. See Baseline Characteristics section for more details on this outcome measure. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 6MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in A1CNow® Self-Check Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Home Kit Values From Baseline to 2-Months (2MO)

    Time frame: Home HbA1c was collected during the screening and/or baseline visit (pre-randomization values; see Baseline Characteristics section), 2MO visit, and 6MO visit (post-randomization values). Baseline and 2MO data are reported here as the secondary comparison

    Home Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured and collected using the PTS Diagnostics A1CNow® Self Check Kit. See Baseline Characteristics section for more details on this outcome measure. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 2MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

  2. Change in Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) Mean Item Score From Baseline to 2-Months (2MO)

    Time frame: The DDS was collected during each participant's baseline, 2MO, and 6MO visit and is framed with a recall time frame of the past month. Baseline and 2MO data are reported here as the comparison for this outcome.

    The Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) is a 17-item survey asked on a scale from 1 ("not a problem") to 6 ("a very serious problem"), with higher scores indicating more diabetes-related distress. The DDS Mean Item score is calculated as the average of all 17 items on the scale. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 2MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

  3. Change in Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) Mean Item Score From Baseline to 6-Months (6MO)

    Time frame: The DDS was collected during each participant's baseline, 2MO, and 6MO visit and is framed with a recall time frame of the past month. Baseline and 6MO data are reported here as the comparison for this outcome.

    The Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) is a 17-item survey asked on a scale from 1 ("not a problem") to 6 ("a very serious problem"), with higher scores indicating more diabetes-related distress. The DDS Mean Item score is calculated as the average of all 17 items on the scale. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 6MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

  4. Change in Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) Score From Baseline to 2-Months (2MO)

    Time frame: PSS-10 was assessed at screening, baseline (pre-randomization), 2MO, and 6MO visits. Baseline and 2MO data are presented here as the comparison for this outcome.

    PSS-10 is a 10-item survey that includes both positive and negative phrased items on a scale of 0-4. After reversing 4 positive items, the summative score ranges from 0-40, where higher values indicate higher levels of perceived stress, with a recall time frame for the last month. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 2MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

  5. Change in Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) Score From Baseline to 6-Months (6MO)

    Time frame: PSS-10 was assessed at screening, baseline (pre-randomization), 2MO, and 6MO visits. Baseline and 6MO data are presented here as the comparison for this outcome.

    PSS-10 is a 10-item survey that includes both positive and negative phrased items on a scale of 0-4. After reversing 4 positive items, the summative score ranges from 0-40, where higher values indicate higher levels of perceived stress, with a recall time frame for the last month. The Least Squares Means reported are model-based estimates of constructed contrasts from the linear mixed effects model further specified in the Stat Analysis results section that included fixed effects for arm, time (visit; baseline, 2MO, 6MO), the randomization stratification factor of insulin status at baseline, and the interaction between arm and time, with random effects accounting for subjects and class cohort number nested within arm, and a residual effect to account for longitudinally repeated measures over time. This outcome measure reports the difference between group arms in the change from Baseline to 6MO from this model (where all three study visit timepoints are included in the time effect).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • Georgetown University
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Rowan University
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Registry information

Official study title

Decreasing Stress in Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: De-Stress

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jul 11, 2019
Registry last updated
Oct 2, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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