Patterns of Family Functioning and Diabetes-Specific Conflict in Relation to Glycemic Control and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

• Published in: Journal of pediatric psychology Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 40 - 51
• Main Authors: Rybak, Tiffany M, Ali, Jeanelle S, Berlin, Kristoffer S, Klages, Kimberly L, Banks, Gabrielle G, Kamody, Rebecca C, Ferry, Robert J, Alemzadeh, Ramin, Diaz-Thomas, Alicia M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-01-2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Blood Glucose - analysis; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; Caregivers - psychology; Child; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - psychology; Family Conflict - psychology; Family Relations - psychology; Female; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Health Status; Humans; Male; Quality of Life - psychology; type 1 diabetes; chronic illness; latent profile analysis; adolescence; family functioning; quality of life; conflict
• ISSN: 0146-8693; 1465-735X
• DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsw071

General and diabetes-specific family functioning may be associated with youth’s adaptation to type 1 diabetes (T1D); however, empirically derived patterns of family functioning and diabetes-specific conflict among youth have not been explored in relation to T1D adaptation.
Youth (N = 161, aged 12–18) with T1D and caregivers completed measures of family functioning and diabetes-specific conflict that served as indicators in latent profile analyses. Differences in glycemic control (measured by hemoglobin A1cs [HbA1c] and health-related quality of life [HRQoL]) were compared across profiles.
Four profiles that varied by levels of family functioning, diabetes-specific conflict, and congruence between youth and caregiver perspectives emerged and related to T1D adaptation differently. Greater agreement between caregiver and youth and lower diabetes-specific conflict was associated with lower HbA1c and greater HRQoL.
Person-centered approaches are useful to quantify how many individuals fit into a particular pattern and determine how specific family dynamics may function together differently in relation to T1D adaptation for various subgroups of the population.