Diabetic children and their parents: personality correlates of metabolic control

Test measures of field-dependence-independence and impulsiveness-control were obtained from two groups of diabetic children and their parents, the children being in optimal (O, n = 12) or poor (P. n = 27) metabolic control and, according to the judgment of clinicians, showing optimal or poor psychological adaptation. Children of the O-group scored lower in impulsiveness and higher in realistic functioning than those of the P-group. Differences which parallelled these were found between the two groups of fathers. The P-group fathers were decidedly more field-dependent than their wives, while the opposite was found for the O-group. Group differences of the kind obtained were seen as possible determinants of disturbed family interaction or emotional stress in the child in the P-group and of autonomy and self-reliance in the child in the O-group. It is concluded that the role of fathers of diabetic children has been underestimated.