Epidemiology of Psychological Problems in Children with T1D in Isfahan Province

Epidemiology of psychological problems of children with type 1 diabetes is particularly important due to the ever-increasing prevalence of its sufferers in the world and difficult and stressful conditions of living with this disease and also the long-term negative effects it can have on the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual development of people. Because knowing the current condition of these children is essential for any psychological planning and intervention; the present study was conducted with the aim of epidemiology of psychological problems of children with type 1 diabetes.

Methods and Materials:

 In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, 100 children aged 8 to 12 years with type 1 diabetes in Isfahan province who were cared for in medical centers of the University of Medical Sciences in 2022 were investigated. Psychological problems including emotional-behavioral problems were measured by Children's Behavior Inventory (CBCL). The data was analyzed through SPSS software version 26 and with descriptive (mean, standard deviation and percentage) and inferential (chi-square, one-sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance) indicators.

68.7% of children examined in this research had psychological problems at the clinical level (55.2%) or borderline (13.5%).Some psychological problems were significantly related to gender and economic and educational level of the family (p ≤ 0.05).

Children with type 1 diabetes have internalized psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, somatization, as well as externalized problems such as rule-breaking and aggressive behaviors at the clinical and borderline levels. It is necessary to design and implement a context by strengthening the relationship between the medical team and the consultants to facilitate the acceptance of life with diabetes and help the children and their families express emotions properly.