About

Cynthia Berg, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah, with expertise in developmental and health psychology. Her research examines how adolescents and adults across the lifespan manage chronic illnesses such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes and cancer within the context of their family and social relationships. She has developed a developmental model of parent-child coordination that explores how high-quality parental involvement can facilitate self-regulation and the use of other relationships, including romantic partners and physicians, to support chronic illness management. Her work focuses on how family members, especially parents and spouses, can either facilitate or hinder diabetes management during adolescence, emerging adulthood, and across the adult lifespan. Her research utilizes dyadic and dynamical system models to understand family processes as they emerge over time.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Gerontology
• Clinical psychology
• Endocrinology
• Nursing
• Computer Science
• Physical therapy
• Internal medicine
• Family medicine
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Problems in emotional control and dyadic coping in adults with type 1 diabetes

  Journal of Behavioral Medicine · 2026-03-07

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating a mHealth Intervention to Optimize Self- and Social-Regulation for Emerging Adults with Type 1 Diabetes (FAMS-T1D): Protocol and Lessons Learned

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Navigating type 1 diabetes as a young couple: A qualitative analysis

  Chronic Illness · 2026-02-09

  articleSenior author

  ObjectivesType 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex and chronic disease that often requires management within an interpersonal context. Young couples may face unique challenges as they integrate and negotiate diabetes routines into their lives. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of young adult couples as they adjust and adapt to the management of T1D in their relationship.MethodsYoung adults (25-40 years) living with T1D and their romantic partners (77 couples, 154 individuals) were separately interviewed. A constant comparison approach was used to qualitatively analyze the data for similarities and differences in perceptions of diabetes management as a dyad. Themes were then identified.ResultsThree themes emerged from the data: learning to incorporate diabetes into the relationship, working together to manage diabetes, and parenting with T1D. Young adult couples are developing coping mechanisms to manage diabetes together. Partners must learn to balance being supportive without being over controlling.DiscussionYoung adults with T1D and partners adjust to diabetes as a couple. Diabetes education for the partner is important to the relationship. Interventions developed to support couples establish collaboration earlier in their relationship may be beneficial for clinical and relationship outcomes.

  PublisherDOI

• Family member involvement when multiple family members have type 1 diabetes

  Diabetic Medicine · 2025-10-06

  articleOpen access

  AIMS: Family involvement is beneficial for type 1 diabetes (T1D) self-management; however, few studies have examined family involvement when multiple family members (MFM) have T1D. This qualitative study examined the perceptions and experiences of family members (parents with and without diabetes, children with T1D, siblings without diabetes) where at least 2 members of the immediate family had T1D. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members from five families (N = 21). RESULTS: Qualitative themes emerged noting the benefits of having MFM with T1D for initial diagnosis and the enhanced cohesion that comes from the support MFM with T1D provide each other. Across families, even when a father had T1D and the mother did not, the mother was described as the key source of support for MFM with T1D. This increased mental load and responsibilities of mothers come with risks to mothers' physical and emotional well-being. Additionally, there were added family stressors, including enhanced financial burden, glucose levels interfering with family activities, and respecting differences among family members in management strategies. Finally, siblings without T1D noted frustrations and well-being concerns due to children with T1D being prioritized over them. CONCLUSIONS: The findings add a rich view of family involvement in families where MFM experience T1D, an important contribution to a literature focused nearly exclusively on families where only one person has T1D. Family members with and without T1D are providing substantial support that is largely quite effective. The findings have clear clinical implications, especially regarding the needed support for mothers, for financial support and for siblings without diabetes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 650-P: Longitudinal Associations of Peer Support with Self-Efficacy, Depression, and Diabetes Management in Early Emerging Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

  Diabetes · 2025-06-13

  articleSenior author

  Introduction and Objective: Social support is important for optimal type 1 diabetes (T1D) management, but data on support from peers during emerging adulthood have been inconsistent. This may be because prior research has largely focused on instrumental or informational support that can threaten needs for competence. We developed a measure of peer support that may facilitate T1D management without undermining competence needs and examined its longitudinal associations with self-efficacy (i.e., perceived competence), depression, and T1D management from late adolescence into emerging adulthood. Methods: As part of a larger study, emerging adults (N=186; 62% female; 14% Latinx; 83% non-Latinx White) completed surveys annually for four years beginning their last year of high school. Surveys assessed peer support, self-efficacy, depression, and self-management behaviors at each time point. HbA1c was measured with mail-in test kits. Peer support consisted of having friends who provided T1D-specific emotional support, were knowledgeable about T1D and how to handle emergencies, and were perceived as generally helpful. Results: Multilevel modeling was conducted controlling for gender, illness duration, pump status, and household income. Emerging adults with higher average levels of peer support had higher self-efficacy (p<.001), higher self-management behaviors (p<.001), and lower depression (p=.02) on average, but did not differ from those with low support on average levels of HbA1c (p=.828). Further, on years when emerging adults had higher than their average level of peer support, they also had higher self-efficacy (p<.004) and higher self-management behaviors (p<.001), but not lower depression (p=.114) or HbA1c (p=.784). Conclusion: Peer support can be provided in ways that do not undermine competence and can benefit self-efficacy, depression, and self-management behaviors among emerging adults with T1D. Disclosure E. Ellis: None. D. Wiebe: None. C. Berg: None.

  PublisherDOI

• A qualitative analysis of family experiences across diabetes-specific family functioning types during a family-focused intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes

  Journal of Behavioral Medicine · 2025-08-14

  articleOpen access

  Numerous dimensions of family involvement are important for chronic illness management. A recently developed and validated typology of diabetes-specific family functioning organizes these dimensions into four meaningful types (Collaborative & Helpful, Critically Involved, Satisfied with Low Involvement, and Want More Involvement). These types represent patterns of associations across dimensions of family involvement and synthesize these multiple dimensions of functioning into usable categories. The current study had two primary aims: first, to use qualitative data to enhance the quantitative understanding of types; and second, to describe qualitatively participants' own experiences with their family during a 9 month family-focused intervention (and 6 month follow-up) based on their diabetes-specific family functioning type at enrollment. Adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who participated in Family/Friend Activation to Motivate Self-care (FAMS), a family-focused self-care support intervention, were eligible. We recruited 77 participants across types to participate in semi-structured interviews at the completion of the follow-up. We found consistencies across types and differences between types. Regardless of type, harmful family involvement was described, but adults with T2D were hesitant to label it as such. Communication about diabetes and health increased during FAMS, but topics varied across types. Adults with T2D received more support from their families across time, though preference for emotional or instrumental support varied across types. This study qualitatively validated the typology tool paving the way for future use in intervention tailoring.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Longitudinal associations of diabetes-specific family conflict and diabetes management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

  Families Systems & Health · 2024-06-17 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  INTRODUCTION: Diabetes-specific family conflict is a risk factor for diabetes indicators (e.g., higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lower adherence), but little longitudinal data are available to understand associations across time. To better inform targets and timing of interventions, we examined (a) whether fluctuations in conflict covary with diabetes indicators within adolescents across time; (b) whether reciprocal associations exist; and (c) whether aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship (e.g., parental acceptance) buffer associations across time. METHOD: = 235, ages 11.5-15.5 at baseline, 53.6% female) completed measures of diabetes-related conflict with mothers and with fathers (separately), parental acceptance, and adherence every 6 months across 1 year (three time points). HbA1c was obtained from medical records. Data were collected in 2009. RESULTS: Bivariate between-person correlations indicated that at each time point, adolescents who reported more conflict with mothers and fathers also had higher HbA1c and lower adherence. Within-person correlations (fluctuations across three time points) indicated that fluctuations in conflict with mothers were associated with fluctuations in HbA1c but not adherence. Actor-partner multilevel models indicated that fluctuations in family conflict at each time point were not associated with future diabetes indicators. Parental acceptance did not moderate associations of family conflict and diabetes indicators. DISCUSSION: While findings corroborate extant literature noting that adolescents with high average diabetes-specific family conflict may benefit from interventions designed to reduce conflict, conflict at one time point may not be predictive of future diabetes indicators. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Examining Share plus—A Continuous Glucose Monitoring Plus Data-Sharing Intervention in Older Adults and Their Care Partners: Protocol for a Randomized Control Study

  JMIR Research Protocols · 2024-10-31 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background Older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are increasingly turning to care partners (CPs) as resources to support their diabetes management. With the rise in diabetes technologies, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), there is great potential for CGM data sharing to increase CP involvement in a way that improves persons with diabetes’ glucose management and reduces distress. Objective The specific aims of this paper are to (1) evaluate the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of the Share plus intervention compared to the CGM Follow app plus diabetes self-management education and support; (2) evaluate the effect of the Share plus intervention on time-in-range (TIR; primary outcome) and diabetes distress (secondary outcome); and (3) explore differences between groups in person with diabetes and CP dyadic appraisal and coping, quality of life, diabetes self-care, and CP burden at 12 and 24 weeks and associations of dyadic variables on outcomes. Methods This is a protocol for a feasibility, pilot randomized controlled trial. Older adults with T1D and their CP (N=80 dyads) will be randomized 1:1 to the Share plus intervention or Follow app plus diabetes self-management education. The trial will include a 12-week active intervention to determine the change in primary (TIR) and secondary (diabetes distress) outcomes, followed by a 12-week, observation-only phase to examine maintenance effects. The evaluation is guided by the Dyadic Coping Model. Patient-level effectiveness outcomes (TIR, hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], diabetes distress, diabetes appraisal, coping, quality of life, diabetes self-care behaviors, and CP burden) will be assessed, using patient-reported outcomes measures and a home HbA1c test kit. Patient- and CP-level acceptability and feasibility will be assessed using surveys and interviews. Quantitative feasibility, acceptability, and usability data will be described using frequencies and percentages. Acceptability will be summarized based on Likert questions and open-ended questions. Usability will be examined separately for the intervention and control groups based on the System Usability Scale, with a study benchmark of ≥68 indicating good usability. TIR will be computed based on 2 weeks’ worth of data at baseline (prior to intervention) and 2 weeks each after the intervention (week 12) and at follow-up (week 24). Results Recruitment started in August 2023 and enrollment began in November 2023. To date, 24 participants have been enrolled in this study. We expect to conclude this study in March 2026 and expect to disseminate results in March 2026. Conclusions To our knowledge, this will be the first pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate both feasibility and effectiveness outcomes for the web-based, platform-delivered Share plus intervention for older adults with T1D and their CP. This research has implications for CGM data sharing in other age groups with T1D and type 2 diabetes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05937321; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05937321 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/60004

  PublisherDOI

• Goal change and goal achievement for emerging adults across the pilot FAMS-T1D intervention for type 1 diabetes

  Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare · 2024-04-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Objective: Interventions for emerging adults (EAs) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) focus on goal setting, but little is known about how goal achievement relates to intervention outcomes. We examined how goals change, how goal achievement relates to diabetes outcomes, and identified barriers and facilitators to goal achievement. Method: age=21.6 years, 57% female) were coached monthly to set a behavioral goal across a 3-month feasibility trial. Coaching notes were qualitatively coded regarding type, complexity, and changes in goals. Goal achievement was measured via daily responses to texts. HbA1c, self-efficacy, diabetes distress, and self-care were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: EAs frequently set food goals (79%) in combination with other goals. EAs overwhelmingly changed their goals (90%), with most increasing goal complexity. Goal achievement was high (79% of days) and not affected by goal change or goal complexity. Goal achievement was associated with increases in self-efficacy and self-care across time. Qualitative themes revealed that aspects of self-regulation and social-regulation were important for goal achievement. Conclusion: Meeting daily diabetes goals may enhance self-efficacy and self-care for diabetes. Practice Implications: Assisting EAs to reduce self-regulation challenges and enhance social support for goals may lead to better diabetes outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Time for a Reframe: Shifting Focus From Continuous Glucose Monitor Uptake to Sustainable Use to Optimize Outcomes

  Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology · 2024-08-14 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) improve glycemic outcomes and quality of life for many people with diabetes. Research and clinical practice efforts have focused on CGM initiation and uptake. There is limited understanding of how to sustain CGM use to realize these benefits and limited consideration for different reasons/goals for CGM use. Therefore, we apply the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model as an organizing framework to advance understanding of CGM use as a complex, ongoing self-management behavior. We present a person-centered, dynamic perspective with the central thesis that IMB predictors of optimal CGM use vary based on the CGM use goal of the person with diabetes. This reframe emphasizes the importance of identifying and articulating each person's goal for CGM use to inform education and support.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• A self-regulation approach to diabetes adherence into emerging adulthood

  NIH · $2.7M · 2011–2017

• NIH Grant R01GM045248

  NIH · $1.1M · 1998

• Self-regulation and collaborative coping with Type 1 Diabetes over the life span

  NIH · $3.9M · 2014–2019

Frequent coauthors

• Deborah J. Wiebe

  University of California, Merced

  143 shared

• Karen L. Fingerman

  The University of Texas at Austin

  111 shared

• Jonathan Butner

  University of Utah

  79 shared

• Bob G. Knight

  University of Southern Queensland

  66 shared

• Brian Carpenter

  Washington University in St. Louis

  60 shared

• Robert Hudson

  60 shared

• Judy Howe

  National Institute on Aging

  60 shared

• Amy Fiske

  West Virginia University

  60 shared

Labs

• Cynthia Berg's LabPI

  Not provided