ABSTRACT
Background: Life satisfaction is associated with positive development in adolescents. Understanding a path model of life satisfaction can help healthcare providers design interventions to improve positive development in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to construct a model that assesses the effects of school support and self-care behaviors on life satisfaction in adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Taiwan.
Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. One hundred and thirty-nine adolescents aged 10-18 years and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed perceived school support, self-care behaviors, and life satisfaction. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling.
Results: School support significantly and directly affected self-care behaviors ([beta] = .46, p = .022) and life satisfaction ([beta] = .39, p = .034), self-care behaviors directly affected life satisfaction ([beta] = .56, p = .048), and school support indirectly affected life satisfaction ([beta] = .26, p = .015) through the mediation of self-care behaviors. The fix indices were as follows: [chi]2 = 8.141, df = 11, p = .701, goodness of fit index = .984, normed fit index = .949, and root mean square residual = .001. The model explained 66.1% of total life satisfaction variance.
Conclusions: School support and self-care behaviors positively influence the life satisfaction of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Improvements in school support and self-care behaviors are necessary to improve life satisfaction in this vulnerable group.