Attributions of adolescents with type 1 diabetes in social situations: relationship with expected adherence, diabetes stress, and metabolic control.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationships among negative attributions of friend reactions (NAFRs) within a social context, anticipated adherence difficulties, diabetes stress, and metabolic control.


METHODS
A sample of 104 adolescents with type 1 diabetes completed instruments measuring demographics, attribution of friend reactions, anticipated adherence, and diabetes stress. Metabolic control was measured by HbA(1c) obtained during the clinic visit.


RESULTS
Path analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of a model depicting an indirect relationship between NAFRs and metabolic control through the mechanisms of expected adherence difficulties and diabetes stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents who make NAFRs are likely to find adherence difficult in social situations and have increased feelings of stress, with the latter associated with poorer metabolic control. Intervention efforts to address negative attributions may impact adherence behavior and feelings of stress, especially if specific contexts of self-care behavior are taken into account.
Hains
Anthony A
AA
Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. aahains@uwm.edu
Berlin
Kristoffer S
KS
Davies
W Hobart
WH
Parton
Elaine A
EA
Alemzadeh
Ramin
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin