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Emotional responses of adolescents with type 1 diabetes: The role of illness representations and coping

Written by Andrada Cosma, Adriana Băban on . Posted in Volume XXI, Nr 2

Authors

Andrada Cosma*, Adriana Băban

Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of illness representations and coping strategies in relation to differences in variance in metabolic control, as well as emotional responses in adolescents with type 1 diabetes using the Common-Sense Model of Illness Regulation. This study employed a cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 66 participants (30 boys and 36 girls) aged between 12 and 16 years participated in this study. Participants completed questionnaires regarding illness representations, the frequency of use and perceived efficacy of coping strategies, and emotional responses during a routine diabetes appointment. Metabolic control was indexed via HbA1C levels in the last three months. Two alternative hypothesized models were tested with coping strategies as mediator for the relationship between illness representations and metabolic control, on one hand, and emotional responses on the other hand. Coping strategies only acted as mediators for the relationships between different dimensions of illness representations (timeline cyclical, consequences, emotional representation, coherence) and the dimensions of emotional responses (anger, sadness, nervousness). A key finding of this study was that long-term beliefs about diabetes predicted emotional responses, suggesting they should be addressed in interventions. The diabetes care team should take into consideration presenting adolescents with the threat of complications only after they manage to regulate their emotions regarding the immediate impact of diagnosis.

Keywords: illness representations, coping strategies, emotional responses, adolescents, type 1 diabetes

Pages:117-134

doi:10.24193/cbb.2017.21.08

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