Parental anxiety and depression associated with caring for a child newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes: opportunities for education and counseling.
OBJECTIVE
To examine demographic and clinical characteristics, such as pediatric parenting stress and self-efficacy for diabetes care, of parents of children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes that are associated with parental anxiety and depression.


METHODS
102 parents reported on their levels of depression (CESD), state anxiety (STAI), pediatric parenting stress (PIP), and self-efficacy for diabetes care (SED) within 4 weeks of their child's diagnosis with type 1 diabetes. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression.


RESULTS
Parents' scores in the clinical range for depression and anxiety were associated with increased frequency and difficulty of pediatric parenting stress, and there was a trend for depression to be related to lower self-efficacy for diabetes care. The association of female gender with anxiety and depression was partially mediated by more frequent pediatric parenting stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents of children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are at risk for experiencing anxiety and depression, related, in part, to their experiences of pediatric parenting stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Providers and educators should be aware of the risk for depression and anxiety in parents and should work to decrease pediatric parenting stress, increase self-efficacy, and refer parents who are experiencing significant anxiety or depression following their child's diagnosis to a mental health specialist.
Streisand
Randi
R
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences,, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA. rstreis@cnmc.org
Mackey
Eleanor R
ER
Elliot
Brenda M
BM
Mednick
Lauren
L
Slaughter
Ina M
IM
Turek
Jane
J
Austin
Audrey
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008873:Mid-Atlantic Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology