PREDICTING DIABETIC CONTROL FROM COMPETENCE, ADHERENCE, ADJUSTMENT, AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Objective: To determine what psychological and behavioral factors were most predictive of diabetic control. Method: Seventy-nine youths with diabetes were assessed cross-sectionally, using youths' reports of se lf-esteem, anxiety, and attitudes about diabetes, and parents' reports of competence and psychopathology (from the Child Behavior Checklist) and diabetic adherence as independent variables. Glycosylated hemoglo bin A(1c) was the dependent variable, reflecting diabetic control. Aft er the effects of several background variables were partialed out, a p rincipal-components analysis grouped the substantive variables into th ree larger components. Results: Among the background variables, durati on of illness and family size significantly predicted diabetic control . Among substantive components, Competence/Adherence (including Total Competence, dietary compliance, and frequency of blood glucose checks) was highly predictive of diabetic control, primarily due to the effec t of Total Competence. Adjustment (including self-esteem, anxiety leve ls, and attitudes about diabetes) and Psychopathology were less predic tive. A model was constructed showing the relationships between these predictive components and diabetic control. Conclusions: In this gener ally well-adjusted sample, that Total Competence, more than other meas ures, predicted diabetic control suggests it could be used by clinicia ns to anticipate diabetic youths at risk.