Parental Diabetes Behaviors and Distress Are Related to Glycemic Control in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: Longitudinal Data from the DINO Study.

Objective: To evaluate (1) the longitudinal relationship between parental well-being and glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes and (2) if youth's problem behavior, diabetes parenting behavior, and parental diabetes-distress influence this relationship.

Research Design And Methods: Parents of youth 8-15 yrs (at baseline) ( = 174) participating in the DINO study completed questionnaires at three time waves (1 yr interval). Using generalized estimating equations, the relationship between parental well-being (WHO-5) and youth's HbA1c was examined. Second, relationships between WHO-5, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist (DFBC), Problem Areas In Diabetes-Parent Revised (PAID-Pr) scores, and HbA1c were analyzed.

Results: Low well-being was reported by 32% of parents. No relationship was found between parents' WHO-5 scores and youth's HbA1c ( = -0.052, = 0.650). WHO-5 related to SDQ ( = -0.219, < 0.01), DFBC unsupportive scale ( = -0.174, < 0.01), and PAID-Pr ( = -0.666, < 0.01). Both DFBC scales (supportive = -0.259, = 0.01; unsupportive = 0.383, = 0.017), PAID-Pr ( = 0.276, < 0.01), and SDQ ( = 0.424, < 0.01) related to HbA1c.

Conclusions: Over time, reduced parental well-being relates to increased problem behavior in youth, unsupportive parenting, and parental distress, which negatively associate with HbA1c. More unsupportive diabetes parenting and distress relate to youth's problem behavior.