Parent-child relationships in families of adolescents with diabetes of the first type, as the factor of formation of attitude to the disease

Purpose. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of those chronic somatic diseases in which the solution of medical problems is inextricably linked to a whole complex of psychological problems. The main condition for successful treatment and prevention of complications is the constant active involvement of the patient in the treatment process. In this regard, factors such as the immediate social environment, especially the family, are of particular importance. The aim of the study is to identify the features of child-parent relationships in families of adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and their impact on the formation of the adolescent's attitude to the disease.

Methods. The study used tests "Teenagers about parents", "Family sociogram", a questionnaire on the study of parental attitudes, a diagnostic test of the attitude of adult family members to the child's disease, a projective drawing test "My disease".

Results. According to the results of the survey, it can be said that the attitude of adolescents to their disease is generally adequate, except in rare cases of increased anxiety and communication problems. At the same time, teenagers are distinguished by egocentrism, because they are often the center of attention of the whole family and wait for a special attitude. In the case where the mother's excessive control activity of teenagers, they consider their decision-making. High mental tension of the mother in connection with the disease of the child leads to the formation of his emotional-negative attitude to his disease. The mother, unlike the teenagers, the harder it is to adapt to their disease, exhibit excessive emotional concentration and anxiety, and connecting with the child and the fixation on the satisfaction of its needs.

Summary. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are characterized by egocentrism and expect special care towards themselves, at the same time negatively assessing the strict control of behavior in the case of the disease on the part of the mother. Both positions do not contribute to the formation of such an attitude to the disease, which would be characterized by a high degree of their own activity and responsibility. High neuro-mental tension of the mother in connection with the disease, her experience of stress, anxiety leads to the formation of a teenager emotionally negative attitude to his disease, making it difficult to adapt to the disease. Mothers who demonstrate a pronounced emotional concentration on the child and the satisfaction of his needs, contribute to the formation of fixation of the child on the disease.