Psychosocial Adjustment of Latency-Aged Diabetics: Determinants and Relationship to Control

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Abstract
The relationship of psychosocial adjustment, family function, self-esteem and diabetic control was studied in 20 latency-aged diabetic children and their parents. Moderate to severe adjustment problems were found in 11 (55%) of the patients. Child self-esteem, parental self-esteem and family functioning, as scored by standard instruments, were all significantly greater in the group of children considered to be well-adjusted as compared to the maladjusted group. Of these, parental self-esteem appeared to correlate most closely with the child''s adjustment. Urinary glucose excretion [24 n] was 2- to 3-fold greater in maladjusted as compared to well-adjusted patients (71 .+-. 20 vs. 20 .+-. 5 gm). Apparently psychosocial adjustment problems frequently occur in latency-aged children with diabetes, are associated with poorer chemical control, and require a family-centered approach to intervention and management.

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