Diabetes-specific friend support in emerging adults with type 1 diabetes: Does satisfaction with support matter?

Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) must adhere to a complex treatment regimen prevent health complications. Friends may provide diabetes-specific support help youth manage diabetes, but evidence on whether benefit from friend is inconclusive. The present study first investigated satisfaction was linked psychological distress and management. Second, it self-esteem mediated these relations. To this end, 324 Dutch-speaking emerging adults (17–28 years) T1D completed questionnaires support, self-esteem, distress, depressive symptoms, self-care. HbA1c values were obtained patients’ physicians. Receiving friends associated more not for who satisfied the received support. Diabetes-specific other outcomes. Self-esteem did mediate These results suggest that associations between management are limited should be taken into consideration when examining role of T1D.