The Journey for Control of Diabetes IDEA Study is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of group education using US Diabetes Conversation Maps (CM) among adults with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes (A1c>7%). Education was delivered through recognized pre-existing diabetes education programs at sites in New Mexico and Minnesota. Consenting participants were randomly assigned to receive group education (GE, N=243), individual education with a diabetes educator (IE, N=246) or usual care as determined by the primary care provider (UC, N=134). Surveys administered at enrollment and 3 months after enrollment collected multiple patient reported psychological and behavioral outcomes, including the Diabetes Care Profile, Diabetes Empowerment Scale and Problem Areas in Diabetes. We compared study groups in terms of the proportion showing improvement on 5 outcomes using a chi-square test. Among 623 enrolled patients, response rate for the 3-month survey was 88.1%. Before receiving interventions, there were no significant differences between groups in any demographic variables or any of the 5 scales evaluated. Compared to UC, GE had a significantly larger proportion showing improvement in understanding (79.3% vs. 63.9%, P<0.01), reduced negative attitudes (53.0 % vs. 39.0%, P=0.01), improved empowerment (47.7% vs. 35.6%, P=0.03) and reduced distress levels (55.2% vs. 44.1%, P=0.05). Compared to UC, IE had a significantly larger proportion showing improvement in understanding (78.7% vs. 63.9%, P<0.01), reduced negative attitudes (54.5% vs. 39.0%, P<0.01), improved empowerment (54.0% vs. 35.6%, P<0.01) and reduced distress levels (60.0% vs. 44.1%, P<0.01). No groups differed from each other in changes in positive attitudes. IE was not significantly different from GE on any of these 5 outcomes. At 3 months after enrollment, group education with the CM proved to be better than UC at empowering patients and resulted in improved psychological outcomes in patients with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes. Future analyses will evaluate longer term results and a more detailed comparison of group and individual education.