Psychological Factors Affect Blood Sugar Control in Diabetic Children

Researchers suggest that confidence and self-efficacy can help children with Type 1 diabetes manage their condition.

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Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes who are confident in their ability to manage tasks have a better handle on controlling their blood sugar, a study published in the International Journal of Psychiatry finds.

Specialists in pediatrics, endocrinology, and nutrition at Reina Sofía University Hospital and researchers at the University of Córdoba in Spain found that self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed—can lead to behavioral changes that enhance glycemic control to keep blood sugar levels within their target range.

“Beliefs based on personal confidence in one’s own ability to cope with specific situations influence cognitions, emotional reactions, analytical coping strategies, and the behaviour generated,” the researchers wrote.

Believing in Oneself Is Linked to Better Blood Sugar Control

For the study, published in September and involving more than 200 children and adolescents, researchers monitored participants’ glycemic levels for two years using continuous glucose monitors. Study author Ángel Rebollo-Román explained in a press statement that these devices allowed researchers to keep an eye on glucose levels and ensure they’re within an adequate range.

Surveys were conducted in four phases to assess different psychological factors, including:

• Self-efficacy
• Affective balance
• Perceived social support
• Self-esteem
• Quality of life

Study co-author Joaquín Villaécija stated in the press release that the findings revealed a pattern: “People with higher self-efficacy scores show better glycemic control,” he said.

The study also indicated that while the relationship between self-efficacy and glycemic control was more evident among adolescents, it was less pronounced in preadolescent children.

First author Carmen Tabernero, a professor of social psychology at the University of Salamanca in Spain, noted that this could be due to parents taking on the primary responsibility for managing their children’s diabetes. With this in mind, the researchers suggest interventions to empower parents to encourage treatment adherence and healthy diet and exercise behavior in adolescents.

Confidence Is Key

The study underscores the importance of self-efficacy in determining behavior, especially in managing a chronic disease like diabetes.

Diseases like diabetes “require changes in behavior, in the form of adherence to treatment, a balanced diet, and physical activity,” study author Bárbara Luque stated in the press release.

“If you add to this adolescents’ efforts to build their own identity, and to feel integrated into a group of equals, a situation of stress can be generated affecting one’s self-management of the disease,” she added.

According to the researchers, having high self-confidence helps with the management of the disease itself but also works as a coping mechanism, helping “to reduce the stress and depression often associated with chronic disease,” they wrote.

The research team plans to develop psycho-educational interventions aimed at improving self-efficacy among adolescents. The goal is to incorporate a psychosocial perspective into patient care to enhance quality of life for young diabetes patients.

“Overall, our results show how in adolescents, the maintenance of high confidence in the ability to manage [Type 1 diabetes] can help adolescents persevere in the face of adversity and strive to follow clinical indications and thus maintain glycaemic control indicators within healthy parameters over time,” the researchers concluded.