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Psychosocial experiences of type 1 diabetes diagnosed in emerging adulthood

University of British Columbia

While advances in medical technology have enabled people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to live longer lives with fewer complications, these interventions are only as effective as individuals' abilities to implement them. People diagnosed during emerging adulthood (i.e., ages 18-30) face high risk of poor health outcomes, as they must attempt to balance the demands of chronic illness with mastery of normative life tasks, namely identity exploration and development. To better understand the unique needs of this population, the present study investigates the lived experiences of people diagnosed with T1D during emerging adulthood. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to elucidate the accounts of four participants with T1D, and to develop a more general description of this shared phenomenon. Data were analyzed for hierarchical themes, and are presented alongside verbatim quotes from interview transcripts to substantiate researcher interpretations. This thesis research argues for the inclusion of counsellors in routine diabetes management, to address the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of health that are currently neglected by mainstream medicine, and that interfere with successful disease management.

Text

2016-08-16

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/58806

Counselling Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/