Mothers and Fathers Parenting Stress and Their Perception of Children’s Psychosocial Functioning in Paediatric Diabetes: A Pilot Study

Daniela Di Riso, Giulia Bassi, Elisa Mancinelli, Silvana Zaffani, Silvia Salcuni and Claudio Maffeis
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Daniela Di Riso: Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
Giulia Bassi: Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
Elisa Mancinelli: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Silvana Zaffani: Pediatric Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynaecology, University-Hospital of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy
Silvia Salcuni: Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
Claudio Maffeis: Pediatric Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Gynaecology, University-Hospital of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: (1) Background : In the context of a child with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), the rearrangement of the family’s lifestyle can account for an increased risk of experiencing psychosocial problems for both child and parents. Those few studies on pediatric diabetes, which focused on parents’ perception of children’s psychological strengths and weaknesses, reported significantly higher rates of children’s emotional and conduct problems associated with an imbalance in the Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The main aim of this paper was to assess the role of parental perception of children’s psychosocial symptoms as a mediator of the perceived parenting stress, considering mother and father separately. (2) Methods : The study involved 12 parent couples (Mothers M age = 40.25, SD = 6.58; Fathers M age = 42.5, SD = 6.38) of children with T1DM aged between 7 and 11 years (M age = 8.8, SD = 0.996). Parents completed questionnaires such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for parents and their perspective of their child, and the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form. (3) Results : Mothers and fathers had significant differences in the perception of their child’s internalizing symptoms. Specifically, mothers present a greater perception of the mentioned symptoms compared to fathers. Mediation models showed that only for fathers’ perception of the child conduct problems has a significant role between the fathers’ perception of dysfunctional interaction with the child and the HbA1c. (4) Conclusions : The current study provides useful evidence also for clinical settings, suggesting that an interesting interplay between parenting stress, perception of children’s symptoms and glucometabolic control should be taken into consideration.

Keywords: parent couples; pediatric diabetes; type 1 diabetes mellitus; parental perception; parenting stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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