‘Adolescents are reckless’: Representations at stake in the construction of the relationship of trust in paediatric diabetology

• Published in: Journal of health psychology Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 270 - 282
• Main Authors: Fonte, David, Colson, Sébastien, Côté, José, Lagouanelle-Simeoni, Marie-Claude, Apostolidis, Thémis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-02-2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescents; Chronic illnesses; Diabetes; Endocrinology and metabolism; Human health and pathology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; Medical personnel; Pediatrics; Psychology; Teenagers; Therapeutic alliances; trust; qualitative research; adolescents; diabetes; social representations
• ISSN: 1359-1053; 1461-7277
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105318809861

A total of 10 focus groups were held with adolescents living with diabetes, their parents and health professionals in order to explore their needs in therapeutic education. The analysis showed that the relationship of trust was a central concern for a number of participants. Several adults were divided between a feeling of confidence inspired by the need to empower adolescents to cope with the chronic condition and a sense of distrust inspired by the idea of carelessness and irresponsibility thought to characterize adolescence. Adolescents, for their part, seemed relatively clear-sighted about how they can be perceived, and blamed adults for not trusting them. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the representations at stake in the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship in order to better understand the construction of the relational climate.