REsilience and COping Resources in type 1 Diabetes: a person-centered approach to emerging adult patients

Abstract

Emerging adults with type 1 diabetes have been recognized as a high risk group (Benchell et al., 2007) because of the delicate balance between adhering to diabetes management and addressing normative developmental tasks (Luyckx et al.,2008). The ReCoRD study is a three times longitudinal research; the repeated observations took place after 8-10 months (T1) and 18-20 months (T2) since the first survey. The study aims to explore the presence of both different psychosocial adjustment and resilience configurations moving from a person-centered approach. ReCoRD study involved 49 Italian emerging adults with type 1 diabetes; they were divided into three groups according to the time elapsed from diagnosis. The psychosocial adjustment measures were: Problem Area in Diabetes Scale, Audit of Diabetes Quality of Life, Diabetes Self-Care Scale. Resilience resources were: Self-empowerment Scale, General Self-efficacy Scale. The contribution intends to present the results of the analysis concerning T0 and T1. To understand this population may help diabetes researchers and clinicians to tailor their approach to these patients and to help the emerging adults to become active participants in their own diabetes management.