The impact of mothers' sense of empowerment on the metabolic control of their children with juvenile diabetes

Objective: To examine the relationship between mothers' sense of empowerment as a psychological resource and the level of adherence to treatment and metabolic control of their adolescent children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Methods: Eighty-eight mothers filled out the Family Empowerment Scale, the Mastery Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Demographic Questionnaire. Their children with IDDM filled out the Self-Care Behaviors Questionnaire. At the same time, the level of glycohemoglobin was retrieved from their medical files. Results: Data analysis revealed that mothers' sense of empowerment contributes significantly to their children's adherence to treatment. Moreover, mothers' sense of empowerment and their education explain a significant proportion of the variance in their children's metabolic control. Conclusions: The findings support the importance of developing and enhancing the parents' sense of empowerment toward better adherence and metabolic control of their children's IDDM.