Metabolic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: looking at the role of perceived consistent parenting support of self-care

Abstract

Objectives: Different parenting practices contribute differently to the development of adolescent self-care. However, little is known about the impact of consistent parenting practices on adolescent self-care and metabolic control. Our study aimed to explore the association between parenting practices and adolescent metabolic control when both parents were consistent in supporting the adolescent’ management of (i) diabetes alone, (ii) psychosocial life issues alone and (iii) both diabetes and psychosocial life issues. Moreover, we looked at the types of consistent parenting practices most frequently associated with optimal metabolic control. Methods: 31 adolescents with type 1-diabetes aged 13 to 15 were interviewed during a diabetes summer camp in France. A mixed-methods (both qualitative and quantitative) design was used in order to code the different reported parenting practices, and to identify associations between different types of perceived parental consistencies and the adolescents’ metabolic control. Results: The results significantly support the hypothesis that consistent parental support of all aspects of self-care is associated with better glycaemic control in young adolescents. Conclusion: A dimension of family work should be more systematically included in diabetes care in order to strengthen the parents’ capacity to effectively and adequately support their adolescents’ emerging self-care capacity in the medical and psychosocial dimensions of self-care.