What Young People With Type 1 Diabetes Think About Mental Health Apps

Living with Type 1 diabetes comes with significant emotional challenges. Young people managing the condition face higher risks of psychological distress than their peers without diabetes. Yet access to mental health support designed specifically for this community remains limited—especially for adolescents and young adults who need flexible, easy-to-reach resources.

Recognizing this gap, researchers and developers have begun creating digital mental health tools. These apps aim to make emotional support more accessible and scalable than traditional in-person therapy alone.

The Lift: Thriving with Diabetes app was developed to address these unmet needs. It focuses on supporting emotional well-being and diabetes-related coping skills for young people with Type 1 diabetes. The app was tested in a 12-week feasibility trial involving 59 adolescents and young adults, plus 22 support people (family members and friends), across New Zealand and the United States.

A secondary study gathered detailed feedback from those who used the app. Thirteen participants—9 young people (average age 21.5 years, roughly half men) and 4 support people (including fathers, a friend, and a partner)—joined focus groups or one-on-one interviews to discuss their experiences.

Researchers asked participants about four key areas: how engaging the app was, whether it worked smoothly, how it looked and felt, and whether the information it provided was helpful and accurate. They also explored whether using the app affected participants' sense of well-being and how they coped with diabetes-related stress.

This qualitative study captures real-world perspectives on what helps—and what doesn't—when it comes to digital mental health support for Type 1 diabetes. While the feedback came from a small group, their insights are valuable for improving future versions of the app and informing the design of other digital tools aimed at this population.

The work highlights a growing area of innovation: using accessible digital platforms to bridge the gap between diabetes management and mental health care. For young people balancing medical routines with emotional well-being, such tools may offer support when and where they need it most.

Source: JMIR diabetes. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.