OBJECTIVETo determine whether personality traits (conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional regulation, extraversion, and openness to experience) are associated with glycemic control and blood glucose monitoring behavior, and change or stability of these outcomes over time, in young people with type 1 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSA 3-year longitudinal study was conducted using data from 142 individuals with type 1 diabetes, 8–19 years of age. Personality was assessed at baseline using the Five-Factor Personality Inventory for Children. Data relating to glycemic control (HbA1c) and frequency of blood glucose monitoring (based on meter memory) were collected annually. Relationships between personality traits and HbA1c and monitoring frequency were examined using regression models and mixed-design ANOVA.RESULTSThree of the Five-Factor domains were independently associated with glycemic control. Individuals high in conscientiousness and agreeableness had a lower and more stable HbA1c across the 3-year study period. In contrast, the HbA1c of individuals scoring low on these traits was either consistently worse or deteriorated over time. Low or high emotional regulation scores were also associated with worse glycemic control. By the third year, these domains, together with initial HbA1c, accounted for 39% of HbA1c variance. Conscientiousness was the only personality factor associated with blood glucose monitoring behavior.CONCLUSIONSResults of this study underline the importance of personality in contributing to diabetes outcomes. Attention to a young person’s personality, and appropriate tailoring of diabetes management to ensure an individualized approach, may help to optimize diabetes outcomes.

Although no differences were found with respect to the short-term impact of specialist vs. shared care, it is evident that more support is required to improve glycemic control in this sample of young people where the mean level of HbA1c was significantly higher than target. Further research is also indicated to determine the relationship between glycemic control and socioeconomic status.

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The purpose of this systematic review was (1) to perform a comprehensive examination of the literature to identify aspects of service delivery which are associated with improved glycaemic control in young people with type 1 diabetes, and (2) to identify gaps in the current literature and suggest areas for future research.The online medical databases Medline, Embase, Psycinfo and Cinahl were searched using a series of keywords. We reviewed randomised controlled trials and cross‐sectional, comparison and retrospective audit studies from 1980 to December 2007 which involved children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes. In total, 540 studies were screened for inclusion, with 68 papers retrieved for further analysis 23 of which were retained for inclusion in the review.The service delivery indicators identified in the review which have an impact on glycaemic control in young people with type 1 diabetes include access to specialist care, number of clinic visits attended, access to care from a multidisciplinary diabetes team and regular telephone contact.This review confirmed that various aspects of paediatric diabetes service delivery do impact on the glycaemic control of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. It has also identified the need for studies to examine further the complex interplay of multiple aspects of service delivery, including the impact of a family‐centred model of care, on glycaemic control. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.