2013 Volume 21 Issue 3 Pages 225-235
Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate revised instruction to promote understanding and support of children with chronic diseases, especially those with type 1 diabetes, among peers.
Methods: Primary aspects of the revised instruction to be evaluated encompassed simplifications in the instruction content, valuation method, and leader's unification. This study also assessed the program's execution in a public junior high school, including subsequent implementation of a follow-up survey.
Participants were 222 second-year students of a public junior high school. All students read a pamphlet about type 1 diabetes, after which instruction was delivered to intervention classes in lesson format. Lessons were designed to promote understanding and support of children with chronic diseases, especially type I diabetes. Intervention classes were assessed immediately before and after the lesson, and again one month later. Control classes were also evaluated at each of these intervals.
Results: Male students' scores on “understanding an ailing friend” (p = 0.001), and “supporting an ailing friend” (p < 0.001), and female students' scores on “understanding an ailing friend” (p = 0.003), “supporting an ailing friend” (p = 0.016), and “cognitive and sympathy questions” (p < 0.001) increased after receipt of the revised instruction. Assessed 1 month later, male students' scores on “understanding an ailing friend” (p = 0.041) and female students' scores on “supporting an ailing friend” (p = 0.047) remained higher than before.
Conclusion: These results suggest that this mode of revised instruction is useful for improving understanding and support of children with chronic diseases.
