A Novel Miniature Equine-Assisted Diabetes Education Program for Youth: Evaluating the Diabetes Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP).

NCT07822555 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MOD00002923
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The Diabetes \& Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP) is a research study evaluating a novel diabetes education program that combines hands-on interactions with miniature horses and evidence-based diabetes self-management education for youth ages 8-20 years with diabetes. Participants and their caregivers attend four structured educational sessions led by a diabetes specialist and a certified equine specialist. Topics include diabetes self-management, coping skills, problem-solving, self-advocacy, and transition readiness. Researchers will evaluate whether the program is feasible to deliver, acceptable to participants and families, and helpful in supporting engagement in diabetes care. Participants will be followed for up to six months after the program, and study outcomes include satisfaction, diabetes-related distress, self-care behaviors, clinic attendance, and diabetes technology use. In simple terms, this study is exploring whether learning about diabetes through guided activities with miniature horses can help children, adolescents, and young adults feel more confident in managing their diabetes, improve self-care skills, and become more engaged in their health care. The goal is to determine whether this innovative educational approach is practical to offer and valued by patients, families, and health care providers.

Conditions

Diabetes (Insulin-requiring, Type 1 or Type 2); Pediatric Diabetes; Diabetes (DM)

Keywords

Pediatric Diabetes; Young Adults with Diabetes; Self-Management Education for Diabetes; Equine -Assisted Therapy; Eqauine-Assisted Learning; Diabetes Education; Patient Engagement

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Participant Recruitment Rate

  Recruitment feasibility will be assessed by the proportion of eligible participants who enroll in the four-session miniature equine-assisted diabetes education program, as documented in study enrollment records.

  From study initiation through completion of enrollment (approximately 9 months)

• Participant Retention Rate

  Retention feasibility will be assessed by the proportion of enrolled participants who remain in the study and complete scheduled study assessments, as documented in study records.

  From enrollment through completion of study participation (approximately 9 months)

• Program Attendance Rate

  Attendance feasibility will be assessed by the proportion of scheduled miniature equine-assisted diabetes education sessions attended by participants, as documented in program attendance logs.

  From enrollment through completion of study participation (approximately 9 months)

• Program Completion Rate

  Completion feasibility will be assessed by the proportion of enrolled participants who complete all four miniature equine-assisted diabetes education sessions.

  From enrollment through completion of study participation (approximately 9 months)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Diabetes Distress Assessed by the Problem Areas in Diabetes Questionnaires (PAID-C/PAID-T)

  Baseline to immediately after completion of the four-session DEEP program

• Change in Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors Assessed by the Self-Care Inventory-Updated (SCI-U)

  Baseline to immediately after completion of the four-session DEEP program

• Routine Diabetes Appointment Attendance Assessed by Electronic Health Record Review

  Six months before participation through six months after program completion

• Diabetes Technology Initiation Assessed by Electronic Health Record Review

  Program completion through six months after program completion

Study Arms (1)

Diabetes & Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this single-arm intervention will receive the Diabetes \& Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP), a miniature equine-assisted diabetes education program. Participants and their caregivers will attend four structured sessions led by a diabetes specialist and a certified equine specialist. Sessions combine experiential learning activities with diabetes education focused on self-management, coping skills, problem-solving, self-advocacy, and transition readiness. The study will evaluate feasibility, acceptability, participant satisfaction, and exploratory psychosocial and behavioral outcomes.

Behavioral: Diabetes & Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP)

Interventions

Diabetes & Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP) BEHAVIORAL

The Diabetes \& Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP) is a behavioral and educational intervention that combines evidence-based diabetes self-management education with structured, hands-on interactions involving miniature horses. Youth with diabetes and their caregivers participate in four facilitated sessions led by a diabetes specialist and a certified equine specialist. Session activities are designed to reinforce diabetes self-management skills, coping strategies, problem-solving, communication, self-advocacy, and transition readiness through experiential learning. The intervention aims to improve participant engagement, confidence in diabetes management, and readiness for increasing independence while providing a supportive and interactive learning environment. The program is being evaluated for feasibility, acceptability, participant satisfaction, and potential effects on psychosocial and behavioral outcomes.

Also known as: DEEP, Miniature Equine-Assisted Diabetes Education

Diabetes & Equine Empowerment Program (DEEP)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 20 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 8 to 20 years
• Diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• Most recent HbA1c greater than 9.0% OR no diabetes clinic follow-up for more than 6 months
• English-speaking participant and caregiver
• Receiving diabetes care at the participating study site
• Willing and able to participate in the DEEP intervention
• Able to attend all four study sessions
• Able to provide informed consent/assent, as applicable
• Caregiver willing to participate in study activities and assessments

You may not qualify if:

• Non-English-speaking participant or caregiver
• Medical, physical, cognitive, or behavioral condition that would prevent safe participation in study activities
• Significant fear of horses that would limit participation
• Allergy to horses that would limit participation
• Previous participation in the DEEP intervention
• Inability or unwillingness to complete study procedures or follow-up assessments
• Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigators, would make participation unsafe or interfere with study completion

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nemours Children's Clinic: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus; Patient Participation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Susana Patton, PhD, ABPP, CDCES

  Nemours Children's Health

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Jennifer E Pfieffer, APRN, PCNS-BC, ESMHL

CONTACT

904-697-3600; Jennifer.Pfieffer@nemours.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Single Group Assignment. All enrolled participants receive the DEEP intervention, a structured miniature equine-assisted diabetes education program. The study is designed as a single-arm feasibility and acceptability trial with no randomization or comparison group. Participants and caregivers complete four educational sessions that integrate experiential learning with diabetes self-management education. Outcomes are collected longitudinally to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, participant satisfaction, and exploratory psychosocial and behavioral measures.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2026
• First Posted: September 16, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Last Updated: September 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09