Parents of Children With Type 1 Diabetes Experienced More Parent-Specific Distress Than Parents of Adolescents in China

Abstract

Background: Distress is one of the most common negative emotions in parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Because of the differences in the developmental stages between children and adolescents with T1D and their subsequent diabetes management needs, their parents may experience different levels of distress. This study aimed to compare diabetes-specific distress between parents of children with T1D and parents of adolescents with T1D in China and explore the associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Parents of children (aged 8–12 years) and adolescents (aged 13–18 years) diagnosed with T1D for >6 months were recruited online via social media. Using established online questionnaires, data were collected on sociodemographic and T1D-related characteristics, diabetes-specific distress, anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and parent–child conflict. Hierarchical linear regression was conducted to explore the potential factors associated with parental diabetes-specific distress. Results: The final sample included 365 parents of children with T1D and 268 parents of adolescents with T1D. Notably, the parents of children with T1D exhibited a higher level of diabetes-specific distress compared to the parents of adolescents with T1D (p < 0.001). Among the parents of children with T1D, higher parental diabetes-specific distress was associated with fathers with 9 years or less of education, higher annual family income (≥US$2857), higher levels of parental anxiety symptoms and perceived stress, and children’s episodes of frequent hypoglycemia in the past 6 months (F = 8.497, p < 0.001, R² = 0.433, adjusted R² = 0.382). Among the parents of adolescents with T1D, higher parental diabetes-specific distress was associated with fathers with 9 years or less of education and higher levels of parental anxiety symptoms and perceived stress (F = 4.955, p < 0.001, R² = 0.385, adjusted R² = 0.308). Conclusions: The parents of children with T1D experienced higher levels of diabetes-specific distress than the parents of adolescents with T1D in China. Fathers with 9 years or less of education and parents with more anxiety and perceived stress were particularly affected in both groups; thus, interventions are warranted.