Psycho-behavioral changes in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the most common type of diabetes in children. This study aimed to investigate psycho-behavioral changes in Chinese children with T1DM and to provide some advices for nurses, parents and other persons.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with T1DM (26 boys and 19 girls with a mean age of 10.40±3.01 years) were enrolled. According to the glycosylated hemoglobin levels recommended by the American Diabetes Association, the patients were subdivided into a well-controlled group and a poorly-controlled group. Fifty-three healthy children served as a control group. Psycho-behavioral changes were investigated by using Achenbach's Child Behavior Check List.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the patients with T1DM had significantly higher mean scores for withdrawal, anxiety/depression, attention problems, delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems (P<0.017). Moreover, the mean scores for somatic complaints in the poorly-controlled subgroup were significantly higher than those in the well-controlled subgroup (t=3.582, P=0.001). Compared with the control group, the well-controlled subgroup had higher scores for withdrawal, anxiety/depression, and internalizing problems (P<0.017). But the poorly-controlled subgroup had higher scores for withdrawal, somatic complaint, anxiety/depression, delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, externalizing and internalizing problems (P<0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
Children with T1DM may have some psycho-behavioral problems. Timely nursing interventions must be conducted to solve these problems.
Department of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Zhejiang University, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.
Xiao-Ping
XP
Zheng
Shuo-Hui
SH
Chen
D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male