585-P: Buffering Effects of Subjective SES on Parental Depressive Symptoms following Child T1D Diagnosis

Abstract

Introduction: Parent depression is linked to negative child T1D outcomes. Some studies find that subjective (SSES) and objective socioeconomic status (OSES) are uniquely related to depressive symptoms, but few studies have examined them together in a T1D population. The current study explores the associations among SSES, OSES, and parent mood following child T1D diagnosis. Method: Participants included 157 parents (62% non-Hispanic white, 77% married, 92% female, 28% public insurance) of young children (Mage=4.46±1.64 years) newly diagnosed (M=29 days post-diagnosis) with T1D. At baseline of a behavioral RCT, parents self-reported on their depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; CES-D; ≥16=elevated scores), SSES (The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status), and OSES (lower OSES=public insurance; higher OSES=private insurance). χ2 test of independence was used to compare rates of elevated CES-D scores across four OSES/SSES categories (n, % elevated): both lower (n=14; 79%), lower OSES/higher SSES(n=29; 31%), higher OSES/lower SSES(n=49; 48%), and both higher (n=63; 44%). Results: There was a significant association between OSES/SSES category and parent depressive symptoms, χ2(3, N=153)=8.81, p=.03. Post hoc analyses using Bonferroni corrections indicated one significant group difference: the lower OSES/higher SSES group had significantly lower rates of elevated CES-D scores than the both lower group. Discussion: During the stressful period following a young child’s T1D diagnosis, higher perceived SES, relative to one’s peers, may be a protective factor against depressive symptoms, specifically for parents with public insurance. Despite having fewer financial resources, these parents reported depressive symptoms similar to parents with private insurance. Future studies using a positive psychology framework may examine methods to improve subjective well-being in parents of children with T1D. Disclosure C. H. Wang: None. C. Tully: None. M. Monaghan: None. M. E. Hilliard: None. R. Streisand: None. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (R01DK102561)