Generic and diabetes-specific parent-child behaviors and quality of life among youth with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate associations among parent-child behaviors and generic and diabetes-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a multi-site sample of youth with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-one youth and their primary caregivers completed measures of parent-child behaviors, child HRQOL, and participated in an observed family interaction task.


RESULTS
Diabetes-specific parent-child variables were associated significantly with both generic and diabetes-specific HRQOL above and beyond the contributions of demographic and generic parent-child variables, accounting for between 13% and 31% of the variance in HRQOL. Diabetes-specific family conflict and negative diabetes-specific family communication were associated with lower HRQOL. Collaborative parent involvement in diabetes care was associated with higher levels of HRQOL.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions that target diabetes-specific family interactions will be beneficial to the quality of life of children with type 1 diabetes.
Weissberg-Benchell
Jill
J
Children's Memorial Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2300 Children's Plaza, Box 10, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA. jwbenchell@childrensmemorial.org
Nansel
Tonja
T
Holmbeck
Grayson
G
Chen
Rusan
R
Anderson
Barbara
B
Wysocki
Tim
T
Laffel
Lori
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D018579:Patient Selection; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires