Diabetes: Psychosocial Aspects

Alan M. Delamater

This entry provides a summary of key findings from the behavioral science literature focusing on psychosocial aspects of diabetes mellitus (DM). The review considers specific issues such as psychosocial adjustment and psychiatric disorders, neurocognitive functioning, quality of life, stress and coping, family functioning, and psychosocial therapies. Children and adolescents are considered first, followed by a discussion of psychosocial issues in adults with diabetes. The incidence of Type 1 DM in young children has increased in recent years. In addition, the incidence of Type 2 DM has been increasingly recognized in older children and adolescents, often in association with obesity. Large numbers of children are currently affected by diabetes, and many more will be affected by diabetes in the future. Diabetes imposes substantial demands on children and their families. As they are coping with normal developmental challenges, the additional burden of diabetes may be difficult for many children and families to ...

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