Illness identity and adjusting to type I diabetes: A four-wave longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES Prior research has linked illness identity-or the extent to which is integrated into one's identity-to diabetes-specific functioning. Four identity dimensions have been identified: rejection, acceptance, engulfment, and enrichment. As longitudinal on this topic scarce, study examined developmental trajectories of prospective associations between METHOD Adolescents emerging adults with Type I diabetes, aged 14 25 (Mage = 19; 54% girls), participated in a four-wave spanning 3 years (N 559 at Time 1). Participants filled out questionnaires identity, treatment adherence, distress. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values were obtained from participants' medical records. To chart development over time, we performed latent growth curve modeling. Cross-lagged analysis was used examine RESULTS We observed small linear increases acceptance (Mslope .05, p < .01) engulfment .03, .05) decrease rejection -.08, .001) across waves (with scale scores ranging 1 5). Rejection negatively predicted enrichment positively adherence year later, which, turn, time. Furthermore, distress later. Finally, HbA1c Standardized cross-lagged coefficients ranged |.05| |.11|. CONCLUSIONS identified but interesting changes three four dimensions. Prospective functioning bidirectional nature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).