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. 2020 Sep;21(6):995-1030.
doi: 10.1111/pedi.13022. Epub 2020 Jun 14.

The role of parental support for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes: A scoping review

Clea Bruun Johansen  1   2 , Mette Juel Rothmann  1   2   3 , Anette Andersen  4 , Henning Beck-Nielsen  2 , Frans Pouwer  2   4   5
Affiliations

The role of parental support for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes: A scoping review

Clea Bruun Johansen et al. Pediatr Diabetes. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Emerging adults with type 1 diabetes often have poor diabetes self-care and pose a considerable therapeutic challenge. They simultaneously handle a life phase characterized by instability, identity exploration, and transitions and manage a chronic illness that demands structure, self-discipline, and repeated health care contacts. Relation to parents is often ambivalent but typically remains the most stable social support, so parental support could potentially be helpful for diabetes self-care and wellbeing.

Method: This scoping review aimed to identify, summarize and analyze empirical studies (for instance interview studies, questionnaire studies and intervention studies) exploring parental support for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. Studies were identified in PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Data were extracted by one author and checked by another. Study results were synthesized by a convergent mixed methods approach and qualitative thematic analysis.

Results: We included 26 studies (2829 participants), 16 interview studies, 10 questionnaire studies, and no intervention studies. Five overarching themes were identified: self-care and glycemic control, diabetes-related emotional wellbeing, support characteristics, ambivalence and harms, and core support providers. Parents tended to contribute positively to diabetes self-care, glycemic control, and psychological wellbeing. However, emerging adults did not want to be too dependent on their parents and family, and family could also act unsupportively; when absent, disinterested in diabetes or controlling.

Conclusion: This review underlines that parental support still plays a role for diabetes self-care and wellbeing in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. Age-appropriate parental support therefore seems a promising path to investigate further.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; parents; scoping review; social support; type 1; young adult.

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References

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