The Stress and Coping Context of Type 1 Diabetes Management among Latino and Non-Latino White Early Adolescents and Their Mothers

Objective Examine ethnic differences in diabetes-related stress and coping among adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their mothers. Methods Early adolescents with type 1 diabetes (N1/4118, ages 10-15 years; 54% female; 47% Latino and 53% non-Latino White) and mothers described the adolescent's diabetes-related stressors and coping strategies, and rated stressor severity and controllability and coping competence. Surveys measured adherence; glycemic control (HbA1c) was indexed from medical records. Results Few ethnic differences in stress and coping emerged among adolescents. However, Latina mothers reported fewer diabetes-related stressors, had lower congruence with their adolescent on reports of diabetes-related stress, and appraised their adolescent as less competent in coping than non-Latino Whites. Lower dyadic stressor congruence and lower appraisals of coping competence were associated with poorer HbA1c. Conclusions Mother- A dolescent congruence in perceptions of diabetes stress, and appraisals of early adolescents' coping, may be important for understanding diabetes management in ethnically diverse samples.