Mothers', Fathers', and Children's Perceptions of Parental Diabetes Responsibility in Adolescence: Examining the Roles of Age, Pubertal Status, and Efficacy

Abstract

To examine how perceptions of parental responsibility for diabetes management are associated with age, pubertal status, adolescents' self-efficacy, and parental perceptions of adolescents' efficacy, and if parental responsibility is associated with better metabolic control as a function of adolescents' self-efficacy and parental perceptions of adolescents' efficacy. Questionnaires assessing parental responsibility, pubertal status, adolescents' self-efficacy, and parental perceptions of adolescents' efficacy were given to 185 adolescents with type 1 diabetes, 185 mothers, and 145 fathers. Greater parental responsibility was negatively associated with age, perceptions of pubertal status, and efficacy for all reporters. Interactions between parental responsibility and parental perceptions of adolescents' efficacy indicated that parental responsibility was associated with better metabolic control when adolescents were perceived to have lower efficacy. Adolescents' and parents' perceptions of parental responsibility are related to multiple factors. Metabolic control is best when high parental responsibility is maintained among adolescents with lower efficacy.