Generic and diabetes-specific parent-child behaviors and quality of life among youth with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations among parent-child behaviors and generic and diabetes-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a multi-site sample of youth with type 1 diabetes. METHOD One hundred and twenty-one youth and their primary caregivers completed measures of parent-child behaviors, child HRQOL, and participated in an observed family interaction task. RESULTS Diabetes-specific parent-child variables were associated significantly with both generic and diabetes-specific HRQOL above and beyond the contributions of demographic and generic parent-child variables, accounting for between 13% and 31% of the variance in HRQOL. Diabetes-specific family conflict and negative diabetes-specific family communication were associated with lower HRQOL. Collaborative parent involvement in diabetes care was associated with higher levels of HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that target diabetes-specific family interactions will be beneficial to the quality of life of children with type 1 diabetes.