Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Social support and diabetes management in childhood and adolescence: Influence of parents and friends

  • Published:
Current Diabetes Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reviews the empirical research literature on the role of social support in children and adolescents with diabetes. Studies on the role of parental involvement in diabetes management suggest that premature withdrawal of parental involvement is associated with poor diabetes outcomes, whereas continued parental support and monitoring is associated with better outcomes among adolescents. Research on social support from friends suggests that friends can be a unique source of support that complements parents' involvement and improves adolescents' diabetes management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. La Greca AM, Follansbee DM, Skyler JS: Developmental and behavioral aspects of diabetes management in youngsters. Child Health Care 1990, 19:132–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson BJ: Diabetes self care: lessons from research on the family and broader social contexts. Curr Diab Rep 2003, 3:134–140.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Johnson SB: Knowledge, attitudes and behavior: correlates of health in childhood diabetes. Clin Psychol Rev 1984, 5:545–564.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Johnson SB, Pollak T, Silverstein JH, et al.: Cognitive and behavioral knowledge about insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus among children and their parents. Pediatrics 1983, 69:708–724.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Wysocki T, Meinhold PA, Taylor A, et al.: Psychometric properties and normative data for the parent version of the diabetes independence survey. Diabetes Educ 1996, 22:587–591.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Follansbee DM: Assuming responsibility for diabetes care: what age, what price? Diabetes Educ 1989, 15:347–352.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. American Diabetes Association: Curriculum for Youth Education. Alexandria, VA: American Diabetes Association; 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  8. McNabb W, Quinn M, Murphy D, et al.: Increasing children's responsibility for self-care: the in-control study. Diabetes Educ 1994, 20:121–124.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Baker L, Lyen K: Laying the foundation for juvenile diabetes management. Drug Ther 1981, 10:63–73.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Kohler E, Hurwitz LS, Milan D: A developmentally staged curriculum for teaching self-care to the child with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 1982, 5:300–304.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Harris MA, Wysocki T, Sadler M, et al.: Validation of a structured interview for the assessment of diabetes self management. Diabetes Care 2000, 23:1301–1304.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bobrow ES, AvRuskin TW, Siller J: Mother-daughter interaction and adherence to diabetes regimens. Diabetes Care 1985, 8:146–151.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kovacs M, Murkerji P, Iyengar S, Drash A: Psychiatric disorder and metabolic control among youths with IDDM: a longitudinal study. Diabetes Care 1996, 19:318–323.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wysocki T: Associations among teen-parent relationships, metabolic control, and adjustment to diabetes in adolescents. J Pediatr Psychol 1993, 18:441–452.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Allen DA, Tennen H, McGrade BJ, et al.: Parent and child perceptions of the management of juvenile diabetes. J Pediatr Psychol 1983, 8:129–143.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ingersoll GM, Orr D, Herrold A, Golden M: Cognitive maturity and self-management among adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Pediatr 1986, 108:620–623.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hanson CL, Henggeler SW, Burghen GA: Social competence and parental support as mediators of the link between stress and metabolic control in adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Consult Clin Psychol 1987, 55:529–533.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Anderson BJ, Auslander WF, Jung KC, et al.: Assessing family sharing of diabetes responsibilities. J Pediat Psychol 15:477–492.

  19. Wysocki T, Meinhold PA, Abrams KC, et al.: Parental and professional estimates of self care independence among children and adolescents with IDDM. Diabetes Care 1992, 15:43–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wysocki T, Taylor A, Hough BS, et al.: Deviation from developmentally appropriate self-care autonomy: association with diabetes outcomes. Diabetes Care 1996, 19:119–125.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Anderson BJ, Ho J, Brackett J, et al.: Parental involvement in diabetes management tasks: relationships to blood glucose monitoring adherence and metabolic control in young adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Pediatr 1997, 130:257–265.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Grey M, Boland E, Yu C: Personal and family factors associated with quality of life in adolescents with diabetes. Diabetes Care 1998, 21:909–914.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Seiffge-Krenke I: The highly structured climate in families of adolescents with diabetes: functional or dysfunctional for metabolic control? J Pediatr Psychol 1998, 23:313–322.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hanna KM, DiMeglio LA, Fortenberry JD: Parent and adolescent versions of the diabetes-specific parental support for adolescents' autonomy scale: development and initial testing. J Pediatr Psychol 2005, 30:257–272.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Carey TC, Reid G, Ruggiero L, Horner J: The diabetes regimen responsibility scale: information on internal consistency and validity in a pediatric sample. Assessment 1997, 4:207–209.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Palmer DL, Berg CA, Weibe DJ, et al.: The role of autonomy and pubertal status in understanding age differences in maternal involvement in diabetes responsibility across adolescence. J Pediatr Psychol 2004, 29:35–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Weibe DJ, Berg CA, Korbel C, et al.: Children's appraisals of maternal involvement in coping with diabetes: Enhancing our understanding of adherence, metabolic control and quality of life across adolescence. J Pediatr Psychol 2005, 30:167–178. This study is unique in that it focuses on children's perspectives of the level of supportive involvement in diabetes management shown by their parents or other adult caregivers. The findings confirmed those of previous studies in showing that more parental involvement was associated with better treatment adherence, metabolic control, and quality of life, particularly among adolescents.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Wysocki T, Harris MA, Taylor A, et al.: Parent-child sharing of diabetes responsibilities as a predictor of outcomes of intensive therapy or usual care for type 1 diabetes. Diabetes, 2003, 52(suppl 1):A39.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Berndt TJ: Friendship and friend's influence in adolescents. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 1992, 1:156–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Steinberg L, Silverberg SB: The vicissitudes of autonomy in early adolescents. Child Dev 1986, 57:841–851.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Berndt TJ: Developmental changes in conformity to peers and parents. Dev Psychol 1979, 15:608–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Thomas AM, Peterson L, Goldstein D: Problem solving and diabetes regimen adherence by children and adolescents with IDDM in social pressure situations: a reflection of normal development. J Pediatr Psychol 1997, 22:541–561.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Kovacs M, Goldston D, Obrosky DS, Iyengar S: Prevalence and predictors of pervasive noncompliance with medical treatment among youths with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1992, 31:1112–1119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Delamater AM, Smith JA, Kurtz SM, White NH: Dietary skills and adherence in children with type I diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Educ 1988, 14:33–36.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Burroughs TE, Harris MA, Pontious SL, Santiago JV: Research on social support in adolescents with IDDM: a critical review. Diabetes Educ 1997, 23:438–448.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Jacobson AM, Hauser ST, Wertlieb D, et al.: Psychological adjustment of children with recently diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 1986, 9:323–329.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Greco P, Harris M, Milkes A, et al.: Revealing the diagnosis of diabetes to friends: the beginnings of social support. Diabetes 2003, 52:A414.

    Google Scholar 

  38. La Greca AM, Auslander WF, Greco P, et al.: I get by with a little help from my family and friends: adolescents' support for diabetes care. J Pediatr Psychol 1995, 20:449–476.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Bearman KJ, La Greca AM: Assessing friend support of adolescents' diabetes care: the diabetes social support questionnaire-friends version. J Pediatr Psychol 2002, 27:417–428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Gallant MP: The influence of social support on chronic illness self-management: a review and directions for research. Health Educ Behav 2003, 30:170–195.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. La Greca AM, Bearman KJ, Moore H: Peer relations of youth with pediatric conditions and health risks: promoting social support and healthy lifestyles. Dev Behav Pediatr 2002, 23:271–280. An excellent review of the literature on social support and chronic illness disease management, with an emphasis on future directions for both clinicians and researchers.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Skinner TC, John M, Hampson SE: Social support and personal models of diabetes as predictors of self-care and well-being: a longitudinal study of adolescents with diabetes. J Pediatr Psychol 2000, 25:257–267.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Thompson KM, La Greca AM, Shaw KH: Friend support to low-income adolescents with IDDM. Poster presented at the 6th Florida Conference on Child Health Psychology. Gainesville, FL; April 23, 1997.

  44. Greco P, Shroff Pendley J, McDonell K, Reeves G: A peer group intervention for adolescents with type I diabetes and their best friends. J Pediatr Psychol 2001, 26:485–490.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Pendley JS, Kasmen LJ, Miller DL, et al.: Peer and family support in children and adolescents with type I diabetes. J Pediatr Psychol 2002, 27:429–438.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Psychology and Psychiatry, Nemours Children's Clinic, 807 Children's Way, 32207, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    Tim Wysocki PhD

Authors
  1. Tim Wysocki PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peggy Greco PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tim Wysocki PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wysocki, T., Greco, P. Social support and diabetes management in childhood and adolescence: Influence of parents and friends. Curr Diab Rep 6, 117–122 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-006-0022-y

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-006-0022-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation