Illness perceptions in youth with type 1 diabetes and their parents: A triadic approach

Objectives. Type 1 diabetes constitutes a challenging illness both for the patient and its immediate context. Especially parents play a crucial role in illness adaptation and management of adolescent and emerging adult patients. The present study addressed the combined role of patient and parental illness perceptions to understand how type 1 diabetes impacts both patient and parental functioning. Previous research focused mainly on the role of illness perceptions and patient self-regulation, but a triadic approach investigating how patient and parental illness perceptions interact in predicting functioning remains forthcoming. Methods. Selected from the Belgian Diabetes Registry, a total of 330 patients-mothers-fathers triads participated. Mean age of patients (52% female) was 18.25 (SD = 2.98). Patients and both their parents completed questionnaires on their own illness perceptions (Brief IPQ) and functioning (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction). Additionally, patients reported on their treatment adherence. HbA1 values were obtained from patients’ medical records. Results. A series of regression analyses indicated that, although a person’s own illness perceptions predicted his or her functioning, illness perceptions of other close relatives were also predictive. Further, significant two- and three-way interaction terms indicated that illness perceptions of different members of the triad interacted in predicting patient and parental functioning. For instance, with respect to the illness perception of personal control, treatment adherence was highest when both patients and mothers scored high on perceived personal control. Likewise, fathers’ life satisfaction was highest when both fathers and patients scored high on perceived personal control. Conclusions. The present study encourages researchers to take the family as a system into account when examining individual functioning, both of patients with type 1 diabetes and their parents.status: publishe