Pathways from emotional adjustment to glycemic control in youths with diabetes in Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVE
To examine factors that influence emotional adjustment, adherence to diabetic care, and glycemic control in Hong Kong youths with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).


METHODS
Seventy youths, their mothers, and matched controls provided information on health beliefs, authoritarian parenting style, parent-child conflict, emotional adjustment, and adherence to medical regimen. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels were obtained to measure glycemic control.


RESULTS
Predictors explained 34% of the variance in emotional adjustment and 39% of the variance in glycemic control. The data supported a pathway from emotional adjustment to self-efficacy to adherence behaviors to glycemic control. In contrast to Western culture and consistent with prediction, parenting style did not associate with negative outcomes, and even relatively low levels of parent-child conflict correlated negatively with emotional adjustment in this culture.


CONCLUSIONS
Management of conflict and self-efficacy enhancing interactions are suggested interventions to enhance adherence to diabetic care in Hong Kong youths with IDDM.
Stewart
S M
SM
Department of Community Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. commed@hku.hk
Lee
P W
PW
Low
L C
LC
Cheng
A
A
Yeung
W
W
Huen
K F
KF
O'Donnell
D
D
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012803:Sick Role
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin