Coping skills training and problem solving in diabetes.

Diabetes requires a substantial degree of patient involvement for effective self-management. Although diabetes education has been the standard of care, it is clear that provision of knowledge alone does not change behavior. Coping skills training is a cognitive-behavioral intervention that focuses on improving competence and mastery by retraining inappropriate or nonconstructive coping styles and patterns of behavior into more constructive behavior. Children, adolescents, and parents caring for children with type 1 diabetes demonstrated improved metabolic and psychosocial outcomes after coping skills training. Similar results have been found in adults with type 2 diabetes. Principles of this technique can be applied in practice to assist patients with diabetes to improve their self-management.