Dissimilarity in mother and adolescent illness representations of type 1 diabetes and negative emotional adjustment

Abstract

The study explored how two measures of mother-adolescent dissimilarity in illness representations relate to negative emotional adjustment in mothers and adolescents. Eighty-four adolescents with type 1 diabetes (age 11.5-17.5) and their mothers completed the Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire and measures of negative emotional adjustment. Adolescents viewed diabetes as less chronic, containing fewer negative emotional representations, and that mother had less control over the illness than did mothers. Mother-adolescent mean differences in representations were not associated with negative adjustment for adolescents; mean differences in coherence were related to negative adjustment for mothers, when controlling the individual's own representations. A measure of dissimilarity based on the sum of squared differences between mother and adolescent was associated with negative adolescent adjustment when controlling adolescent's own representations, but no relations were found for mothers. Dyadic approaches to coping with chronic illness will benefit by understanding how dissimilarity in illness representations between patient and caregiver relate to adjustment.

An examination of how adolescent–caregiver dyad illness representations relate to adolescents' reported diabetes self‐management

“…This study aimed to compare adolescent and caregiver illness representations and explore relationships between representations and dissimilarity, in relation to adolescents' diabetes self‐management. Consistent with the findings of Olsen and colleagues (2008), mothers viewed their adolescent's diabetes as more chronic, containing more negative consequences and believed more strongly in the treatment ability to control blood sugar levels and prevent future health complications, than did adolescents. Adolescents' may attempt to ‘re‐frame’ their experiences to help them cope with and manage their condition, a coping strategy previously identified in young people with diabetes (Edgar & Skinner 2003).…”

“…2008). While the first study (Law 2002) found no relationship between dissimilarity in dyadic illness representations and the psychological adjustment of adolescents, the second study (Olsen et al . 2008) examined dyadic illness representations in a larger sample ( n = 83).…”

“…The relative influence of how adolescent and caregiver dissimilarity in illness representations may be related to adolescents' diabetes self‐management has not yet been explored. Two studies have attempted to investigate the relationship between dissimilarity and adolescents' psychological well‐being (Law 2002; Olsen et al . 2008).…”

Cardiac patient–spouse dissimilarities in illness perception: Associations with patient self-rated health and coping strategies

“…Moreover, after controlling for patients' own perceptions, the association between dissimilarity scores and coping almost disappeared (just two statistically significant -coefficients out of 35). As Olsen et al (2008) underlined, the significant associations noticed between outcome variables and dissimilarity scores might probably be the result of the strong correlations between the latter and patients' own perceptions. Therefore, those relations faded when hierarchical regression analyses were used.…”

“…Additionally, multiple regression analyses were performed with patients' own representations and dissimilarity scores entered on step 1, and the sum of squared differences between patients and spouses on each item of the IPQ-R subscales entered on step 2. This type of analysis was proposed by Olsen et al (2008), as a more sensitive measure of illness perception dissimilarity.…”