Longitudinal associations of maternal depressive symptoms, maternal involvement, and diabetes management across adolescence.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether maternal depressive symptoms: (a) predicted the level of maternal involvement in diabetes management tasks across adolescence; and (b) moderated associations of involvement with adolescent adherence, metabolic control, and depression. METHODS Eighty-two youth aged 10-15 years with type 1 diabetes and their mothers completed measures at baseline and 16 months later. Participants rated maternal involvement in diabetes tasks, adherence, and depressive symptoms; metabolic control was indexed from medical records. RESULTS Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with higher involvement at baseline, and slower declines in involvement across time. At baseline, involvement was associated with lower adolescent depression and better metabolic control, but this association was stronger when mothers reported fewer depressive symptoms. Interactions of maternal depression with involvement across time suggested maternal involvement was associated with better subsequent adherence primarily when mothers reported fewer depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Mothers' depressive symptoms may undermine her care-giving effectiveness during adolescence.