Advancing Pediatric Diabetes Care Through Psychosocial Research

Newswise — Since its inception under the leadership of Jill Weissberg-Benchell, PhD, the Diabetes Psychology Research Program has maintained a commitment to evidence-based psychosocial intervention. The program’s research agenda is grounded in a fundamental premise: psychosocial distress significantly impacts metabolic outcomes, including glycemic control and variability. Through systematic investigation of family-centered interventions, the research team aims to reduce psychological burden while simultaneously improving both mental health and metabolic parameters in pediatric patients with diabetes.

Research from the Diabetes Psychology Program has achieved remarkable translational reach, influencing clinical practice and health policy internationally. Dr. Weissberg-Benchell’s investigations into the metabolic and psychosocial impact of insulin pump therapy directly informed Germany’s national health system decision to approve funding coverage for insulin pumps. Team publications continue to shape advocacy initiatives and funding strategies for diabetes camp programs and psychosocial interventions across the United States.

Previous research has demonstrated the positive impact of diabetes camp experiences on pediatric patients. With funding from the American Diabetes Association, the research team is evaluating the therapeutic benefits of diabetes camp experiences for pediatric patients through a multi-phase study:

Support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust and Eli Lilly will enable expansion in 2026 into two previously understudied areas: non-ADA-affiliated overnight camps and diabetes day camps. This expansion facilitates investigation across diverse camp models, including day camps, overnight camps, sports-focused camps, and family-centered programs. The broader scope of camp settings will strengthen comparative analysis and enhance understanding of which programmatic elements contribute most significantly to positive outcomes.

While diabetes camp is not a traditional component of clinical diabetes care, the division recognizes its significant therapeutic and psychosocial benefits, and many staff members actively support this impactful initiative. Lurie Children’s endocrinologist Juan Lado, MD, directs the main ADA diabetes camp for the Chicagoland area. Several staff members from the Diabetes Program, including doctors, nurses, and dietitians volunteer at ADA Diabetes Camps every summer.

The first year post-diagnosis represents a critical window for intervention, with evidence showing that early coping patterns significantly influence long-term psychological adjustment and metabolic outcomes. Supported by a grant from Breakthrough T1D, Jill Weissberg-Benchell, PhD, and Marissa Feldman, PhD (site PI at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Florida), this initiative developed a structured support program for newly diagnosed families.
The intervention, led at the Lurie Children’s site by Kelsey Brzezinski, PhD, incorporated insights from experienced families who identified key knowledge gaps and skill deficits they encountered during their own patient journey. Preliminary findings demonstrated high participant satisfaction with the intervention and perceived improvement in psychosocial outcomes. A paper on the development of this intervention was recently published by the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 

The developmental period spanning ages 18-25 represents a particularly vulnerable phase, characterized by increased emergency visits, lapses in medication use, and missed appointments as young adults navigate the transition from pediatric to adult-oriented care systems. The research team developed a group-based intervention focusing on collaborative problem-solving between adolescents and caregivers with the support of grants from multiple funders, including a Center for Diabetes Translation Research Pilot & Feasibility grant, a Dixon Family Foundation grant, and a grant from Breakthrough T1D.

The program emphasized skill-building in: 

The results indicate high family satisfaction and measurable improvements in transition readiness, suggesting promise for scalable implementation.

The team remains dedicated to expanding the evidence base for psychosocial interventions in pediatric diabetes care, developing scalable, evidence-based approaches that improve psychological well-being and metabolic outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence.

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