A mentoring program for adolescents with diabetes

Adequate psychosocial support is a major factor in well-managed diabetes, especially with newly-diagnosed adolescents who face many life changes. A review of the literature shows that few psychosocial support systems exist for adolescents with diabetes. Few psychosocial interventions have been tested and shown to be effective in improving the diabetes-related behavior of adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the emotional and developmental needs of adolescents who are newly diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and to propose a mentoring program that pairs a qualified, supportive young adult who is knowledgeable about diabetes with a newly diagnosed teenager with a similar socioeconomic background. The trained mentor will provide support to the adolescent regarding diabetes-related issues as well as other issues related to adolescence.