Trait Mindfulness and Mindfulness Practices in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Descriptive and Comparative Study

Introduction: Study describes mindfulness (trait and practices) and compares levels of trait mindfulness (low/high) and practices (yes/no) on demographic, clinical characteristics, and diabetes-related outcomes among adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: Adolescents completed a survey on demographics, clinical data, trait mindfulness/practices, diabetes-specific stress, and diabetes self-management (DSM). Glycemic control (A1c) obtained from medical records. T and chi(2) tests were applied for comparative analyses. Results:129 adolescents (12-18 years) reported moderately high levels of mindfulness (31 +/- 8; range, 10-40). One-third (30%) reported having experience with mindfulness practices (formal, informal, and religious). Adolescents who reported higher levels of trait mindfulness had higher insulin pump usage (p =.005), less diabetes-specific stress (p <.001), greater DSM (p =.006), and less A1c (p =.013). Adolescents who reported more types of mindfulness practices had greater DSM scores. Discussion: Adolescents with higher levels of trait mindfulness and with more types of mindfulness practices had better diabetes-related outcomes. Introducing mindfulness training tailored to adolescents with T1D should be examined.