Personality functioning in adolescents and emerging adults with Type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE: Although prior research has stressed the role of personality in adjusting to type 1 diabetes, longitudinal research is lacking. The objectives of the present study were twofold: (1) to chart the development of patients' personality over a 2-year period; and (2) to examine prospective associations among personality, treatment adherence, glycemic control, and diabetes-specific distress.

METHODS: Adolescents and emerging adults with type 1 diabetes, aged 14-25 years (Mage = 18.86 years, 54% female), participated in a three-wave longitudinal study spanning 2 years (n = 560 at Time 1). Patients filled out questionnaires on Big Five personality traits, treatment adherence, and diabetes-specific distress. HbA1c values were obtained from treating physicians. We used latent growth curve modeling to examine the development of patients' personality. Cross-lagged path analysis was performed to examine prospective associations among the study variables.

RESULTS: First, we observed mean-level increases in extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness over the course of the study. Second, we uncovered bidirectional associations between personality and several important indicators of adjustment. Lower conscientiousness and higher extraversion predicted a relative decrease in treatment adherence 1 year later. Poorer treatment adherence, in turn, predicted relative decreases in conscientiousness and agreeableness over time. Furthermore, lower emotional stability predicted a relative increase in distress 1 year later. Higher distress, in turn, predicted a relative decrease in agreeableness over time. Finally, lower conscientiousness predicted poorer glycemic control 1 year later.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found young patients to move toward a more mature personality and stressed the importance of personality in adjusting to type 1 diabetes.