Memory matters: developmental differences in predictors of diabetes care behaviors.

OBJECTIVE Longitudinal research shows that pediatric type 1 diabetes can result in verbal memory difficulties, yet the role of memory in the daily management of this or any other chronic illness has not been evaluated. METHODS Verbal memory measures from two well-standardized tests were administered to 224 youths with type 1 diabetes, aged 9 to 17. Twenty-four-hour recall interviews conducted separately with mothers and their children assessed diabetes care behaviors. RESULTS Rote verbal memory predicted blood glucose testing frequency for adolescents but not for preadolescents; and when combined with ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age, rote verbal memory accounted for 27.6% of the variance, p <.001. Quantitative verbal working memory--along with ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age, p <.01--accounted for 33.7% of the variance in predicting carbohydrate calories for older adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Memory, in addition to demographic factors, is a significant predictor of some of the central self-care behaviors involved in diabetes management. However, memory only predicts diabetes management for older adolescents, who have greater self-care responsibility.