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. 2011 Mar;36(2):196-205.
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsq071. Epub 2010 Aug 24.

From caregiver psychological distress to adolescent glycemic control: the mediating role of perceived burden around diabetes management

Natoshia Raishevich Cunningham  1 , Anthony T Vesco, Lawrence M Dolan, Korey K Hood
Affiliations

From caregiver psychological distress to adolescent glycemic control: the mediating role of perceived burden around diabetes management

Natoshia Raishevich Cunningham et al. J Pediatr Psychol. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether perceived caregiver burden around diabetes management mediated the relationship between caregivers' psychological distress and adolescents' glycemic control.

Methods: Across three visits spanning 9 months, caregivers of 147 adolescents with type 1 diabetes completed measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms and a measure of perceived burden specific to diabetes management. Adolescents' glycemic control was also measured.

Results: Perceived burden mediated the relationship between caregiver depressive symptoms and adolescents' glycemic control. The overall model was significant, F(10,132) = 5.0, p < .001, R(2) = 0.27. Fifty percent of the relationship was explained by diabetes-specific burden. The relationship between caregiver anxiety symptoms and adolescent glycemic control was partially mediated by diabetes-specific burden, F(10,133) = 5.7, p < .001, R(2) = 0.30, explaining 26% of this relationship.

Discussion: A variable linking caregiver psychological distress to adolescent glycemic control is perceived caregiver burden around diabetes management. Implications for clinical practice include targeting caregiver psychological functioning and reducing global and diabetes-specific distress.

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Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Mediating role of diabetes-specific burden.
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