Posttraumatic stress disorder in parents of children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes

To determine rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms in mothers and fathers of children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Parents of 38 children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were assessed with the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale 6 weeks after diagnosis. Twenty-four percent of the mothers and 22% of the fathers met full diagnostic criteria for current PTSD. In addition, 51% of the mothers and 41% of the fathers met criteria for partial or subclinical PTSD. Co-occurence of PTSD in couples was very low. Posttraumatic stress symptomatology did not correlate with age and gender of the child, socioeconomic status, family structure, or length of hospital stay. The findings support applicability of a posttraumatic stress model for investigating the psychological impact of type 1 diabetes on parents.