Abstract
BACKGROUND: T1DM is a significant chronic condition that necessitates regular medical monitoring, dietary and physical activity supervision, and daily blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy. The management of this disease and the transition to adolescence often have a significant psychosocial impact on the individual and their family. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this correlational study was to examine the reciprocal influence between adolescents and their caregivers, with a particular focus on the beneficial effect of receiving psychological support sessions from family members and adolescents with T1DM in a pilot study. METHODS: An indicator variable was developed to facilitate an analysis of changes occurring prior to, as well as following, the administration of the treatment in question. Family caregivers received two therapy sessions, and we analyzed their perceived caregiver stress. Adolescents had five sessions, and the reduction in emotional distress was studied in them. RESULTS: The sample comprised 15 adolescent-family caregiver dyads. All parents were mothers of adolescents, with a mean age of 47.67 and 13.47 years, respectively. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were conducted. Following the completion of the psychological counseling sessions, the data revealed a significant positive correlation between the perceived reduction in global stress experienced by the caregiver and the adolescent's emotional distress, with correlation coefficients of 0.74 and 0.61, respectively. Furthermore, a positive relationship was observed between the reduction in existing difficulties in family role adjustment and the reduction in emotional distress among diabetic youth, with correlation coefficients of 0.72 and 0.57. The frequency of emotional distress of the caregiver also correlated with adolescent emotional distress, with a coefficient of 0.60. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study provide evidence for the circularity of family systems change. A positive emotional contagion effect is observed in the improvements in stress and emotional distress experienced during adolescence and in the family's adjustment to T1DM, as reported by caregivers and their children who received psychological support sessions.