Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions with Respect to Psychological and Biomedical Outcomes in Young People with Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.

Summary

Mindfulness-based interventions show promise for enhancing psychological well-being in young people with type 1 diabetes, addressing issues like anxiety and depression. In a review of nine studies, 66.6% demonstrated moderate to optimal methodological quality. These interventions could improve both mental health and biomedical outcomes, including glycaemic control and blood glucose levels. However, the sample sizes were often small, highlighting the need for larger studies to validate these findings and further explore their effectiveness in youth adult populations with diabetes mellitus type 1.

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease especially affecting young people. Mindfulness-based psychological interventions might reduce emotional symptoms post-diagnosis, but the evidence is limited. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions on psychological well-being and biomedical variables in young people with type 1 diabetes. A systematic review of trials was conducted that involved a bibliographic search in electronic databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, SciELO, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library) considering studies published between 2013 and 2024. A total of 434 records were identified, of which 252 underwent selection according to title and abstract, leaving 32 that were evaluated for eligibility and 7 included in this review. From Google Scholar, six more studies were identified and evaluated, and two were selected. Finally, nine studies were subjected to full reading and a detailed analysis of the inclusion criteria. A total of 66.6% of the studies were evaluated as having a methodological quality of moderate or optimal, but the samples analysed tended to be small, and only two articles carried out short-term follow-up evaluations. Mindfulness-based interventions, upon reviewing the preliminary results, may be posited as a viable strategy to enhance psychological (anxiety, diabetes distress, perceived stress, depression, self-efficacy, psychological well-being, and quality of life) and biomedical outcomes (glycaemic control, blood glucose levels, and diastolic blood pressure) for type 1 diabetes in young people. Although promising, further research is required to improve the quality, methodology, and design of studies.

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