Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Not Yet Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07625254

Evaluation of Arts-Based Storytelling Program in Adolescents With Diabetes

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an arts-based storytelling and narrative medicine workshop series can improve social connection, illness identity, and psychological well-being in adolescents and young adults with chronic illness, specifically diabetes.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does participation in a narrative-based storytelling workshop improve social connectedness and peer support among adolescents and young adults with diabetes? * Does engagement in creative arts and reflective storytelling support identity formation, self-expression, and emotional well-being in this population?

Participants will be 16-25 years old and recruited through the UCSF Pediatric Diabetes Clinic. Individuals must be able to participate in group workshops and complete surveys and interviews related to the study.

Participants will:

* Attend eight weekly workshops centered on storytelling, reflection, and creative expression * Engage in narrative medicine activities, including writing, storytelling, drawing, and facilitated reflection * Participate in group discussions focused on personal experiences with chronic illness * Complete pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing psychosocial outcomes such as social connectedness, illness identity, self-concept, and mental well-being * Participate in interviews and reflective exercises about their experiences in the program

This study aims to explore the role of narrative medicine and arts-based interventions in supporting adolescents and young adults with chronic illness and assess their potential benefits as a supplement to standard medical care.

Not Yet Recruiting

Trial opening soon.

Get Notified

Key information

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus Endocrine System Diseases Glucose Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Age range

16 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, 94107, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants must be patients at the UCSF Pediatric Diabetes Clinic
  • Participants must have a self-reported diagnosis of diabetes
  • Participants must be between 16-25 years old
  • The participant and/or caregiver(s) must be English-speaking

Exclusion criteria

  • Participants unable to attend the first session

Treatment and study plan

Arts-Based Storytelling Workshop Series

Behavioral

The Arts-Based Storytelling Workshop Series is a structured eight-week behavioral intervention designed to enhance self-expression, social connection, emotional reflection, and psychological well-being in adolescents and young adults with diabetes. This intervention differs from traditional educational or counseling approaches by integrating creative expression, guided reflection, and group dialogue as therapeutic tools. Each weekly session includes: -Engagement with written, visual, or artistic prompts centered on themes such as identity, resilience, relationships, coping, uncertainty, and growth in the context of chronic illness -Facilitated group discussion and sharing designed to promote peer support, emotional processing, and a sense of community among participants - Creative exercises in response to structured prompts, including writing, storytelling, drawing, or other expressive activities that support personal reflection

Primary outcomes

  1. Participant retention and attendance

    Time frame: Throughout intervention (Weeks 1-8), assessed immediately post-intervention (Week 8)

    Feasibility will be assessed by tracking the number of participants who attend each of the 8 weekly sessions, including overall completion of the program.

  2. Participant satisfaction

    Time frame: Immediately post-intervention (Week 8)

    Acceptability will be assessed using post-intervention satisfaction questionnaires with 5-point Likert-scale items and semi-structured individual interviews. Measures will evaluate perceived relevance of workshop content, usefulness of creative prompts, quality of group discussion, and facilitation experience. Scale title: Intervention Satisfaction Questionnaire (ISQ) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the intervention.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Illness identity

    Time frame: Pre-intervention (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 8)

    Assessed using the Illness Identity Questionnaire, which evaluates how individuals integrate a chronic illness into their sense of self. Scores reflect different illness identity orientations, with higher scores indicating stronger endorsement of the corresponding identity state. Scale title: Illness Identity Questionnaire (IIQ) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 5 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Subscale scores reflect distinct illness identity states; higher scores indicate greater endorsement of that identity orientation

  2. Social connectedness

    Time frame: Pre-intervention (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 8)

    Measured using the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS), which assesses perceived closeness to others and sense of belonging. Scale title: Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) Minimum value: 1 (Strongly Disagree) Maximum value: 6 (Strongly Agree) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater feelings of social connectedness and belonging.

  3. Self-reported well-being

    Time frame: Pre-intervention (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 8)

    Measured using the WHO-5 is a self-report instrument measuring mental well-being. Scale title: Psychosocial functioning scale (PFQ) Minimum value: 0 (At no time) Maximum value: 5 (All of the time) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater well-being.

  4. Self-esteem

    Time frame: Pre-intervention (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 8)

    Measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), which assesses global self-worth, self-worth and self-acceptance. Scale Minimum value: 1 (Strongly agree) Maximum value: 4 (Strongly disagree) Interpretation: Higher total scores indicating more positive self-esteem.

  5. Qualitative themes from interviews and group reflections

    Time frame: Pre-intervention (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 8)

    Semi-structured interviews will explore participant experiences of identity development, meaning-making, peer support, and emotional processing. Transcripts will be analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and narrative themes related to chronic illness experience and psychosocial adaptation.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Anoushka A Sinha, MD, MS

CONTACT

[email protected]

628-286-6116

Lina Lew, BS

CONTACT

[email protected]

858-231-7426

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, San Francisco

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 4, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 5, 2026

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.