This study explored the association between personal resilience and distress, coping, and diabetes outcomes in 50 adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Resilience was defined by a factor score derived from validated instruments measuring self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem. Variable- and person-focused methodologies were used to explore these associations. Low resilience was associated with higher distress, poor quality of life, and poor glycemic control. Participants with low resilience used more maladaptive coping strategies and were at greatest risk of poor outcomes. Findings suggest that resilience is a promising candidate for interventions designed to reduce distress and improve outcomes for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Distinct patterns of stress emerged for both the adolescent and parent cohorts. Resilience at the time of diagnosis was particularly protective for adolescents. These results suggest that stress-reducing and resilience-promoting interventions for newly diagnosed adolescents with T1D may have potential to improve longer-term outcomes.