Visual Abstract

Anxiety and adherence are known to impact long-term health outcomes for youth with T1D. In this study using longitudinal data, we explored the relationships between symptoms of generalized anxiety (GA), diabetes related executive functioning (DREF), adherence, and HbA1c. Study aims include assessing the association between GA and A1C as serially mediated by DREF and adherence, in youth with T1D. Consistency across caregiver and teen reports was investigated. Participants included 322 caregiver-teen dyads (mage=15.03 years; 49.7% female) with T1D who completed measures as part of routine behavioral health screening at a pediatric diabetes center: anxiety screening (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, 7th Edition [GAD-7]; caregiver m=3.67, SD=4.53; teen m=4.35, SD=5.12), diabetes related executive functioning (Diabetes Related Executive Functioning Scale Short Form; caregiver m=41.08, SD=9.91; teen m=42.03, SD=9.45), adherence (Diabetes Self-Management Profile-Short Form; caregiver m=14.53, SD=4.87; teen m=13.68, SD=5.01), and HbA1c (m=9.06, SD=2.24). For both caregiver and teen report, serial mediation analyses indicated GAD was positively associated with HbA1c through the pathway of DREF and adherence. Although effect sizes are small, the findings highlight the importance of screening for GAD symptoms to inform intervention and promote optimal long-term health outcomes.

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Disclosure

P. Pental: None. R. Phelps: None. D. C. Duke: None.

© 2021 by the American Diabetes Association
2021
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