The Role of Authoritative Parenting in Adolescent Type 1 Diabetes Management

Objective Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes are at risk for poorer adherence, lower quality of life (QOL), and poorer glycemic control (HbA1c). Authoritative parenting (AP) along with youth adherence and QOL was hypothesized to relate to better HbA1c. Methods Parent-youth dyads (N = 257) completed baseline measures of adherence and QOL. Youth completed an AP questionnaire, and HbA1c samples were evaluated. Structural equation modeling determined relations among AP, adherence, QOL, and glycemic control. Results AP indirectly linked to better HbA1c (beta= -.15, p =.021) through both better adherence and higher QOL. AP also was associated directly with better adherence (beta =.26, p =.001), which in turn was linked to better HbA1c (beta = -.35, p =.021). In addition, adherence was associated directly with QOL (beta = -.56, p =.001). Conclusions Together, better youth adherence and higher QOL are two mechanisms by which more AP indirectly relates to better glycemic control during the early adolescent years.