Fifty-one children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 24 healthy sibling controls were compared on one of two temperament questionnaires completed by parents. Children with IDDM did not provide a characteristic temperament profile or show any problem areas. A regression analysis to predict diabetic control as measured by most recent glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values revealed that five of the nine temperament scales accounted for a significant 42% of the variance in HbA1c (P < .001). Children with higher activity levels, greater regularity in routines, milder reactions to external stimuli, distractibility, and negative moods were achieving better glycemic control. The results are discussed in terms of how individual differences in behavioral organization, energy consumption, and stress modulation may affect blood glucose levels.
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Original Articles|
January 01 1988
Effect of Temperament on Metabolic Control in Children With Diabetes Mellitus
Joanne F Rovet, PhD;
Joanne F Rovet, PhD
Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Canada
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Robert M Ehrlich, MD
Robert M Ehrlich, MD
Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Canada
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Joanne F. Rovet, PhD, Psychology Department, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
Citation
Joanne F Rovet, Robert M Ehrlich; Effect of Temperament on Metabolic Control in Children With Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care 1 January 1988; 11 (1): 77–82. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.11.1.77
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