UC Merced

Adolescence is a pivotal time for Latinx individuals with type 1 diabetes, yet this population remains understudied. This paper examined the role that division of responsibility (adolescent, parent, and shared) for diabetes management tasks plays in adolescent health in this population across two studies. Diabetes responsibility was measured using two methods: surveys (Study 1) and a novel coding scheme applied to parent-adolescent interactions (Study 2). Results of study 1 showed that Latinx mothers reported more shared and less adolescent responsibility in surveys than non-Hispanic White mothers. Mother- and adolescent-reported shared responsibility were generally associated with higher levels of diabetes adherence, while reports of individual (parent and adolescent) responsibility were generally associated with lower levels of diabetes adherence. Results of Study 2 showed that descriptions of shared, adolescent, and parent responsibility in conflict discussions were not associated with adolescent health. Cultural values (familism and independence/self-reliance) were not associated with particular patterns of diabetes responsibility, but cultural values were associated with health outcomes. Specifically, independence/self-reliance tended to be associated with poorer adolescent health (lower quality of life and increased anxiety), while adolescent familism was associated with higher levels of adolescent-reported adherence. The importance of multi-method studies and implications for interventions are discussed.