How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies

Self-management of diabetes is challenging, especially for adolescents who face multiple changes, including closer peer relationships. Few studies have explored how friends can provide constructive support in this effort. The present research investigated, in two qualitative studies, the perceptions...

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Main Authors: Louk W. H. Peters, Laura Nawijn, Nicole M. C. van Kesteren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Scientifica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/415849
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author Louk W. H. Peters
Laura Nawijn
Nicole M. C. van Kesteren
author_facet Louk W. H. Peters
Laura Nawijn
Nicole M. C. van Kesteren
author_sort Louk W. H. Peters
collection DOAJ
description Self-management of diabetes is challenging, especially for adolescents who face multiple changes, including closer peer relationships. Few studies have explored how friends can provide constructive support in this effort. The present research investigated, in two qualitative studies, the perceptions of adolescents with diabetes and their friends with respect to the positive social support that friends can offer. In study 1, 28 adolescents aged 12–15 with type 1 diabetes participated in online focus groups. In study 2, 11 of these adolescents were interviewed in person together with their best friends. The data were analysed by means of content analysis. In study 1, the adolescents with diabetes identified various supportive behaviours of friends, particularly concerning emotional support: treating them normally, showing interest, having fun, providing a distraction, and taking their diabetes into account. They differed in their attitude towards support, and this influenced which behaviours they perceived as supportive. Study 2 showed that the adolescents with diabetes and their friends often had similar opinions on the desired degree of support. Fear of stigmatization and sense of autonomy withheld some adolescents with diabetes from soliciting more support. These insights can be useful in patient education aiming to promote social support.
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spelling doaj-art-92ae3a7e1941436fa882ef73fbff50082025-08-20T03:20:37ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/415849415849How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative StudiesLouk W. H. Peters0Laura Nawijn1Nicole M. C. van Kesteren2Department of Life Style, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), P.O. Box 2215, 2301 CE Leiden, The NetherlandsAcademic Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Life Style, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), P.O. Box 2215, 2301 CE Leiden, The NetherlandsSelf-management of diabetes is challenging, especially for adolescents who face multiple changes, including closer peer relationships. Few studies have explored how friends can provide constructive support in this effort. The present research investigated, in two qualitative studies, the perceptions of adolescents with diabetes and their friends with respect to the positive social support that friends can offer. In study 1, 28 adolescents aged 12–15 with type 1 diabetes participated in online focus groups. In study 2, 11 of these adolescents were interviewed in person together with their best friends. The data were analysed by means of content analysis. In study 1, the adolescents with diabetes identified various supportive behaviours of friends, particularly concerning emotional support: treating them normally, showing interest, having fun, providing a distraction, and taking their diabetes into account. They differed in their attitude towards support, and this influenced which behaviours they perceived as supportive. Study 2 showed that the adolescents with diabetes and their friends often had similar opinions on the desired degree of support. Fear of stigmatization and sense of autonomy withheld some adolescents with diabetes from soliciting more support. These insights can be useful in patient education aiming to promote social support.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/415849
spellingShingle Louk W. H. Peters
Laura Nawijn
Nicole M. C. van Kesteren
How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
Scientifica
title How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
title_full How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
title_fullStr How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
title_full_unstemmed How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
title_short How Adolescents with Diabetes Experience Social Support from Friends: Two Qualitative Studies
title_sort how adolescents with diabetes experience social support from friends two qualitative studies
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/415849
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