Adolescent perspectives on negotiating self-management responsibilities for type 1 diabetes with their parents

Abstract

Objective: The overall purpose of this study was to explore adolescent perspectives on communicating about self-management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and negotiating responsibilities for self-management with parents.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 adolescents aged 11-17 years living with T1D. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

Results: Two themes and five subthemes were identified. The first theme, 'changing levels of involvement in self-management' describes the division of responsibility for self-management within the family and adolescents collaborating and sharing responsibilities with parents for self-management. The second theme, 'talking about self-management with parents' describes changes in patterns of parent-adolescent communication about T1D over time, adolescents' seeking parental feedback and advice and the factors that contribute to the promotion of self-management communication between adolescents and parents.

Conclusion: This study identified that how adolescents perceive communication with their parents contributes to negotiation of responsibilities for self-management during adolescence. The findings provide a nuanced understanding of adolescent perspectives on communication with parents about T1D self-management and how parent-adolescent communication can be framed in ways that promote positive adolescent engagement with T1D self-management.

Practice implications: Targeting parent-adolescent communication strategies may result in more optimal sharing of responsibilities and improved self-management.

Keywords: Adolescence; Communication; Parents; Self-management; Type 1 diabetes.