Gaining freedom: self-responsibility in adolescents with diabetes

This exploratory, qualitative pilot study explored the meaning of the chronic illness experience for adolescents with diabetes in relation to taking on responsibility for their own care. Four adolescents aged 15 to 17 years with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus participated in indepth interviews. Gaining freedom was the central phenomenon that captured the process of gaining self-responsibility in diabetes management during adolescence. Three themes marked the process: (a) making it fit; (b) being ready and willing; and (c) having a safety net of friends. These adolescents described a gradual transition from dependence to independence in learning to manage their diabetes. These findings should cause advanced practice nurses to re-evaluate their frameworks for adolescents with diabetes and develop a collaborative approach. Intervention strategies must be developed that incorporate adolescent developmental needs, determine readiness and motivation to learn, and provide opportunities to practice independence in self-management.