Patterns of Family Functioning and Diabetes-Specific Conflict in Relation to Glycemic Control and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

Objectives: General and diabetes-specific family functioning may be associated with youth’s adaptation to type 1 diabetes (T1D); however, empirically derived patterns of family functioning and diabetes-specific conflict among youth have not been explored in relation to T1D adaptation.

Methods: Youth (N = 161, aged 12–18) with T1D and caregivers completed measures of family functioning and diabetes-specific conflict that served as indicators in latent profile analyses. Differences in glycemic control (measured by hemoglobin A1cs [HbA1c] and health-related quality of life [HRQoL]) were compared across profiles.

Results: Four profiles that varied by levels of family functioning, diabetes-specific conflict, and congruence between youth and caregiver perspectives emerged and related to T1D adaptation differently. Greater agreement between caregiver and youth and lower diabetes-specific conflict was associated with lower HbA1c and greater HRQoL.

Conclusions: Person-centered approaches are useful to quantify how many individuals fit into a particular pattern and determine how specific family dynamics may function together differently in relation to T1D adaptation for various subgroups of the population.