Illness centrality and well-being among male and female early adolescents with diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the implications of illness centrality for psychological and physical health among male and female early adolescents with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
We interviewed 132 adolescents before or after a routine clinic appointment. We measured the extent to which they defined themselves in terms of their illness, their views of the illness, psychological well-being, self-care behavior, and metabolic control.


RESULTS
Females scored higher on illness centrality than males. Illness centrality was related to poor psychological well-being when the illness was perceived in negative terms, but only for females. For males, illness centrality was unrelated to psychological well-being. Illness centrality was related to poor metabolic control.


CONCLUSIONS
The extent to which adolescent females define themselves in terms of their illness is most problematic when the illness is perceived in highly negative terms. Future research should examine how illness centrality and views of illness change over the course of adolescence.
Helgeson
Vicki S
VS
Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh 15213, USA. vh2e@andrew.cmu.edu
Novak
Sarah A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care; D012649:Self Concept; D012803:Sick Role