Diabetes conflict outstrips the positive impact of self‐efficacy on youth adherence and glycemic control in type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Objective To examine whether self‐efficacy buffers the deleterious consequences of diabetes‐specific family conflict on self‐monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Methods A total of 129 youth with T1DM (aged 10‐16 years) completed measures of diabetes‐specific family conflict and self‐efficacy for diabetes management, and their blood glucose meter data and HbA1c were extracted from the electronic medical record. We preformed moderation analyses to examine whether self‐efficacy moderated the association that diabetes‐specific family conflict had with SMBG and HbA1c. We used simple slopes analyses to probe significant interactions.

Results Our results indicated that self‐efficacy moderated the association that diabetes‐specific family conflict had with SMBG and HbA1c. The pattern of these findings showed that high self‐efficacy buffered the negative impact of diabetes conflict on HbA1c. However, benefits of high self‐efficacy for more frequent SMBG was only apparent in the context of low diabetes‐specific family conflict.

Conclusions Study findings highlight the interactive relationship between diabetes‐specific family conflict and self‐efficacy in relation to SMBG and glycemic control. These findings suggest that family functioning and youth's self‐efficacy are promising intervention targets for families having trouble with SMBG and HbA1c.