Posttraumatic growth in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Abstract Aim. The study aimed to identify the presence of posttraumatic growth in children and adolescents with the diabetes mellitus type I and to find out relations with coping strategies. Material and methods. The research group was formed by 102 children aged 12-18 years with diabetes mellitus type I. The research design was a cross-sectional study. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children (PTGI-C) and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) were used for data collection. Results. The ways of coping with stress are related to the subsequent posttraumatic growth in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The strongest correlation was found between posttraumatic growth and coping strategies Seeking Social Support and Planful Problem-Solving. The correlation between posttraumatic growth and coping strategy Escape-Avoidance has not been identified. However, this strategy was most often used by adolescents. There was no difference in the level of posttraumatic growth with respect to sex of the respondents and their age, except for the area of Personal Strength and area of Spiritual Change. Conclusions. The facilitation of effective coping strategies by a nurse can have a positive effect on the posttraumatic growth of children and adolescents with diabetes.