Deviation from developmentally appropriate self-care autonomy. Association with diabetes outcomes

Treatment of IDDM in youth emphasized balancing children's self-care autonomy with their psychological maturity. However, few data exist to guide clinicians or parents, and little is known about correlates of deviations from this ideal.

In this cross-sectional study, IDDM self-care autonomy of 100 youth was assessed using two well-validated measures. Three measures of psychological maturity (cognitive function, social-cognitive development, and academic achievement) were also collected for each child. Composite indexes of self-care autonomy and of psychological maturity were formed, and the ratio of the self-care autonomy index to the psychological maturity index quantified each child's deviation from developmentally appropriate IDDM self-care autonomy. Based on these scores, participants were categorized as exhibiting constrained (lower tertile), appropriate (middle tertile), or excessive (higher tertile) self-care autonomy. Between-group differences in treatment adherence, diabetes knowledge, glycemic control, and hospitalization rates were explored.

Analysis of covariance controlling for age revealed that the excessive self-care autonomy group demonstrated less favorable treatment adherence, diabetes knowledge, hospitalization rates, and, marginally, glycemic control. Excessive self-care autonomy increased with age and was less common among intact two-parent families but was unrelated to other demographic factors.

The findings indicate caution about encouragement of maximal self-care autonomy among youth with IDDM and suggest that families who succeed in maintaining parental involvement in diabetes management may have better outcomes.