Study Comparing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Supportive Diabetes Counseling for Problematic Eating and Weight Control in Type 1 Diabetes

Description

This is a randomized controlled trial comparing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to supportive diabetes counseling (SDC) for individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and disordered eating (or T1DE). Both conditions are tailored to the unique needs of individuals living with T1D and the unique conditions under which an eating disorder develops and is maintained. Participants will be 128 individuals with T1D, between the ages of 16-50, with binge-purge eating disorders (EDs), including threshold and subthreshold bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and purging disorder. Purging includes restriction of insulin for weight loss. An expansion cohort of 58 persons with T1D and elevated Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-Revised scores (DEPS-R=>20) will also be recruited to assess the utility of the protocol for a broader array of eating problems in T1D. Participants will be randomized to either ACT or SDC, and complete assessments at baseline, mid-treatment, end-of-treatment, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-treatment. The primary outcome of interest for power and sample size calculation is mean blood glucose as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring. Other outcomes include hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), eating disorder symptoms, diabetes self-management and, secondary, diabetes distress. In addition to examining clinical outcomes, this study tests biobehavioral mechanisms of change and predictors of treatment response. Process of change assessments focus on flexible responding to pathology-relevant stimuli and early improvement in glycemic control affecting executive function. The primary site is Duke University Medical Center. The Miriam Hospital is a secondary site.