"I'm Staring at the Screen All the Time": Technology Use and Mindfulness in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes.
Kaitlyn Rechenberg, Rebecca Koerner, Carley Geiss and 1 others
PMID 38809173WHAT IT FOUND
Teens with type 1 diabetes spent hours daily on screens, mostly for school, social media, and diabetes apps.
They saw mindfulness as helpful but rarely used it, and preferred a simple, social mindfulness app tailored to diabetes.
Key findings
01Adolescents reported high daily technology use, including online classes and homework for up to 7 hours and recreational app use averaging 4.5 hours per day.
02Mindfulness was viewed as helpful for stress and anxiety relief, but most participants had little exposure to or experience with regular practice.
03A mindfulness app tailored for teens with type 1 diabetes was more appealing than general mindfulness apps, and participants wanted simple design, customizable notifications, and social connection.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was 20 adolescents, with 85% identifying as non-Hispanic white, 75% identifying as female, and 75% using insulin pumps, so it may not represent other groups. Participants were recruited online, so adolescents without internet access or not engaged in online diabetes communities may be underrepresented. The study relied on self-reported technology use and mindfulness experiences, so recall and social desirability bias are possible. Eligibility required type 1 diabetes for at least 6 months and no other chronic conditions requiring intensive daily management, so the themes may not apply outside those criteria. The study described experiences and preferences, not tested effects, so it cannot show that a mindfulness app improves stress, self-management, or hemoglobin A1c.
Declared interests
The article lists research support from N.I.H. Extramural. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a mindfulness app for adolescents with type 1 diabetes has been shown to reduce stress or improve diabetes management. The study reported experiences and preferences from 20 participants; it did not test an intervention or measure outcomes.