Preliminary investigation of the direct and moderating effects of family and individual variables on the adjustment of children and adolescents with diabetes

Abstract

Investigated the direct and stress-moderating effects of mother and child coping skills, child Type A behavior, and mother's report of disease-related family interruption on both psychological and physiological adjustment in 64 children with insulin-dependent diabetes. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, relevant demographic variables (age, gender, disease duration) were first evaluated for effects on the outcome measures, followed by the stress variable, the individual difference and family factors, and the interaction term. Several direct relationships between demographic, individual and family factors, and outcome were identified, as well as one moderating relationship. Implications for research design and future study of children and adolescents with diabetes are discussed