The investigators propose to run a one-week workshop for 50 participants focusing on the study of chronic childhood illness (using diabetes and asthma as models). Their goal is to discuss and demonstrate the value of broadening research on chronic illness to include individuals' cognitive and behavioral factors, family factors, and physiologic factors in understanding children's and families' disease management and psychological adjustment. They argue convincingly that prior research has focused on one of these three areas, or in rare occasions on two, but almost never has considered all three approaches or the interplay of their influences. This application lays out a curriculum for the consideration of each of these new approaches separately and for discussion of their possible integration. Fifty participants will be recruited, who will be junior and senior researchers in diabetes and asthma in childhood. Evaluation will involve an ongoing process evaluation during the workshop, and a follow-up two months later requesting that participants describe the use of the workshop material in their current research and plans for future research.
