An examination of how adolescent-caregiver dyad illness representations relate to adolescents reported diabetes self-management
Child: Care, Health, and Development, 05/02/2012
Gaston AM et al. – This study emphasizes the important role of significant others illness representations in adolescent self–management of diabetes.
Methods- Fifty-five adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age were asked to complete the Diabetes Illness Representation Questionnaire and Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Questionnaire.
- Their primary caregivers were asked to complete a caregivers' version of the Diabetes Illness Representation Questionnaire.
- Caregivers believed diabetes to be more chronic, to have a more negative impact, pose more of a threat to adolescents' health and believed more strongly in the effectiveness of treatment than did adolescents.
- Caregivers' representations about the impact of diabetes and the ability of treatment to prevent future complications were related to adolescents' dietary self-management.
