Experiencing and managing Type 1 diabetes mellitus for adolescents in Indonesia: An integrated phenomenology and indigenous psychological analysis

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that can be found in various age groups including teenage years. Diabetes Mellitus cannot be cured but can be managed throughout life to prevent complications. Experience of self-management becomes a challenging and complex process. Psychosocial aspects are important aspects to consider in the management of adolescent self. Psychosocial aspects were examined in the study of illness representation and support from peers. The goal of this research was to explore the experience of adolescent's self-management with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the psychosocial aspects of illness representations and explain the role and support from peers on experience with type 1 diabetes. The study involved four adolescents with diabetes mellitus aged 11 to 20 years old, parents, peers, physicians, and teachers. Indigenous psychological approach with strategy indigenization from without was employed. Qualitative approach of analysis was carried out complementarily using interpretative phenomenology. In-depth interview was used for data collection used in-depth interviews. The results indicated that illness representation influenced adolescent's behavior in regulating and controlling, and the pain in order to achieve physical health and emotional well-being. Teenagers perceive diabetes as a disease of an elderly. Control and regulation of adolescent's diabetes management is highly dependent on the mother as primary caregiver and adolescent's peers.