TY - JOUR
T1 - Diabetes-Related Worries and Coping Among Youth and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes
AU - Taraban, Lindsay
AU - Wasserman, Rachel
AU - Cao, Viena T.
AU - Eshtehardi, Sahar S.
AU - Anderson, Barbara J.
AU - Thompson, Debbe
AU - Marrero, David G.
AU - Hilliard, Marisa E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology.
PY - 2022/11/1
Y1 - 2022/11/1
N2 - Objective: Although mood and anxiety symptoms are common in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), little research has described their worries across developmental stages or the strategies they use to cope with these worries. This secondary data analysis aimed to describe and characterize common T1D-related worries and coping strategies from middle childhood through young adulthood. Methods: Twenty-three youth (9 children, 7 adolescents, and 7 young adults) completed semistructured qualitative interviews about health-related quality of life. We coded interview transcripts using thematic analysis to generate common themes of diabetes-related worries and coping strategies. Results: Participants' worries fell into four major themes: Managing Blood Glucose, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Management, Interpersonal Relationships, and Lifestyle Impact, and eight youth denied having diabetes-related worries. Coping strategies fell into the three major themes: Attempts to Change Source of Worry, Attempts to Change Reactions to Worry, and Attempts to Orient Away from the Worry. Conclusions: Youths' worries about various aspects of living with and feeling able to self-manage diabetes are important to consider across pediatric development as they can impact youths' participation in daily activities and future plans. By adolescence, youth report longer-term worries about the health and lifestyle implications of diabetes. Youths' reported coping strategies are generally consistent with existing coping frameworks, though our data suggest some possible refinements. Social support emerged as an important coping strategy for all age groups. Thus, interventions supporting youth in building and strengthening their social networks may be particularly beneficial in helping youth cope with their diabetes-related worries across development.
AB - Objective: Although mood and anxiety symptoms are common in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D), little research has described their worries across developmental stages or the strategies they use to cope with these worries. This secondary data analysis aimed to describe and characterize common T1D-related worries and coping strategies from middle childhood through young adulthood. Methods: Twenty-three youth (9 children, 7 adolescents, and 7 young adults) completed semistructured qualitative interviews about health-related quality of life. We coded interview transcripts using thematic analysis to generate common themes of diabetes-related worries and coping strategies. Results: Participants' worries fell into four major themes: Managing Blood Glucose, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Management, Interpersonal Relationships, and Lifestyle Impact, and eight youth denied having diabetes-related worries. Coping strategies fell into the three major themes: Attempts to Change Source of Worry, Attempts to Change Reactions to Worry, and Attempts to Orient Away from the Worry. Conclusions: Youths' worries about various aspects of living with and feeling able to self-manage diabetes are important to consider across pediatric development as they can impact youths' participation in daily activities and future plans. By adolescence, youth report longer-term worries about the health and lifestyle implications of diabetes. Youths' reported coping strategies are generally consistent with existing coping frameworks, though our data suggest some possible refinements. Social support emerged as an important coping strategy for all age groups. Thus, interventions supporting youth in building and strengthening their social networks may be particularly beneficial in helping youth cope with their diabetes-related worries across development.
KW - coping
KW - pediatrics
KW - qualitative research
KW - type 1 diabetes
KW - worries
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U2 - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsac055
DO - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsac055
M3 - Article
C2 - 35773974
AN - SCOPUS:85140415594
SN - 0146-8693
VL - 47
SP - 1145
EP - 1155
JO - Journal of pediatric psychology
JF - Journal of pediatric psychology
IS - 10
ER -