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Parenting styles, regimen adherence, and glycemic control in 4- to 10-year-old children with diabetes
C L Davis1, A M Delamater, K H Shaw
1University of Miami, USA. cadavis@mail.mcg.edu
Insights
Authoritative parenting, which includes warmth and support, is linked to better diabetes management in children. Parental warmth improves adherence, while restrictiveness may worsen glycemic control, especially in minority groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Child Psychology
- Diabetes Management
Background:
- Type 1 diabetes requires lifelong management, including adherence to treatment regimens.
- Parenting styles can significantly influence a child's health behaviors and outcomes.
- Glycemic control is crucial for preventing long-term complications in children with diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parenting styles, adherence to diabetes management, and glycemic control in young children with Type 1 diabetes.
- To identify specific parenting dimensions that may promote or hinder effective diabetes self-management.
- To explore the role of demographic factors in these relationships.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 55 children with Type 1 diabetes and their parents.
- Parents completed validated questionnaires assessing parenting styles and regimen adherence.
- Glycemic control was assessed using glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels obtained from medical records.
Main Results:
- Parental warmth demonstrated a significant positive association with higher regimen adherence ratings.
- Parental restrictiveness was linked to poorer glycemic control in initial analyses.
- Regression models indicated that parental warmth accounted for 27% of the variance in adherence.
- Glycemic control was ultimately predicted by Black ethnicity, not parenting or adherence variables.
- Black ethnicity and lower socioeconomic status (SES) were associated with increased parental restrictiveness and poorer glycemic control.
Conclusions:
- Authoritative parenting, characterized by warmth and support, appears beneficial for improving regimen adherence and potentially glycemic control in children with Type 1 diabetes.
- Demographic factors, including ethnicity and SES, play a significant role and warrant further investigation in relation to diabetes management.
- Interventions aimed at supporting authoritative parenting may enhance diabetes care for children.
Objective:
To examine relationships among parenting styles, regimen adherence, and glycemic control for preschool and elementary school children who have Type I diabetes.
Methods:
Parents of 55 children with diabetes completed parenting style and regimen adherence questionnaires. Glycosylated hemoglobin results were collected by chart review.
Results:
Parental warmth was associated with better adherence ratings. Regression analyses showed that parental warmth explained 27% of the variance in adherence ratings. Parental restrictiveness was associated with worse glycemic control in univariate analyses. However, only Black ethnicity, not adherence or parenting variables, predicted glycemic control. Black ethnicity and lower socioeconomic status (SES) were associated with more parental restrictiveness and worse glycemic control.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that authoritative parenting, characterized by support and affection, may be advantageous for the regimen adherence and glycemic control of school-age and younger children with diabetes. Demographic characteristics are important and require further study in this context.