Per Johnsson
Senior lecturer
Cooperation between parents in caring for diabetic children: relations to metabolic control and parents' field-dependence-independence
Author
Summary, in English
Aspects of parental interaction were assessed in 20 families with diabetic, insulin-dependent children, using hour-long video-taped interviews, the children being in optimal (O, n = 10) or poor (P, n = 10) metabolic control and showing optimal or poor psychological adaptation. In comparison with the O-group parents, the P-group parents were less appreciative of one another, were less congruent in their attitudes to diabetes care, and appeared not to respect their childrens' independence and integrity; the mothers were discontented with the support given them by their husbands; the children assumed less responsibility for managing their diabetes and seemed less confident during the interview. The results are interpreted in light of an earlier finding that the P-group fathers are more field-dependent (FD) than their wives while the opposite is true for the O-group fathers. With reference to evidence from the cognitive style literature, we suggest that the relatively FD P-group fathers have difficulties in acting as autonomous sources of support to their wives resulting in marital discord and a delayed transition from maternal to self care in their children.
Department/s
- Department of Psychology
- Paediatrics (Lund)
Publishing year
1993
Language
English
Pages
223-229
Publication/Series
Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice
Volume
20
Issue
3
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Endocrinology and Diabetes
Keywords
- Family interaction
- Metabolic control
- Diabetes mellitus
- Adolescent
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1872-8227