title: Illness self-concept in Type 1 diabetes: a cross-sectional view on clinical, demographic, and psychosocial correlates.
abstract: The present study assessed the centrality of one's illness self-concept, or the degree to which chronic illness intrudes upon one's self, in a sample of 478 18-35-year-old patients with Type 1 diabetes. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that illness self-concept centrality was a one-dimensional construct, despite the fact that three constituting components (i.e. pervasiveness, directionality, and illness self-consciousness) have been forwarded. Further, important demographic and clinical correlates of illness self-concept were identified: women, unemployed individuals, individuals with a lower educational level, and patients with an insulin pump had a more central illness self-concept. Finally, a series of correlation and regression analyses indicated that, despite the fact that illness self-concept centrality was negatively related to emotional stability, self-esteem, and diabetes integration, and positively to perceived consequences of diabetes, illness self-concept had unique predictive value over and above these variables for problem areas in diabetes and depressive symptoms. Implications and suggestions for future research are outlined.
authors.affiliation: a School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rassart
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weets
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007332:Insulin Infusion Systems / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011584:Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Type 1 diabetes; emerging adulthood; illness self-concept; personality; self-esteem