Stress Management in Parents of Children with Diabetes Type 1: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Parents of children with diabetes type 1 (DT1) usually mention high stress levels as they have to cope with multiple demands in everyday life. Simple stress management techniques can be administered in everyday life and thus may hold some benefit for parents with diabetic children. The purpose of this study was to assess to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program (relaxation breathing and progressive muscle relaxation/RB-PMR) in reducing symptoms of stress. Self-reported validated measures were used to evaluate perceived stress, health locus of control, daily routine, anxiety and depression. This is a pilot, randomized controlled trial. A total of 54 parents were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 28) and control group (n = 26). In parents in the intervention group perceived stress, symptoms of depression and anxiety were significantly decreased after 8 weeks of the relaxation program (0.017, 0.044 and 0.006). RB-PMR practice was associated with changes in physical and psychological symptoms of parents with children with DT1. Future studies should extend by incorporating more objective clinical and laboratory outcomes.