Finding the Balance: Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Their Parents

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe the ways that parents and 11- to 15-year-old teens communicate and the recurrent themes and patterns of behavior that were revealed during brief interactions about issues related to diabetes management. Method: A secondary qualitative analysis of data, based on a template for analysis developed from the literature, was completed on audiotaped interactions of 28 adolescents and their parents. Results: Themes identified were frustration, fear, normalizing, trusting, and discounting. Trusting the adolescent to manage diabetes was difficult for the parents and was associated with frustration, fear, and discounting communication. Discussion: Results support the need for clinicians to work with families to facilitate trust and positive parent-adolescent communication about diabetes management. J Pediatr Health Care. (2009) 23, 10-18.