Personal and illness identity development in youth with type 1 diabetes.

What is it about?

Nowadays, many Western youth seem to struggle with exploring and committing to different identity options (i.e., personal identity processes), making identity development an important clinical research topic. It has become clear that youth with a chronic illness such as Type 1 diabetes (T1D) encounter an additional challenge of integrating one’s illness into their identity, making their "identity puzzle" even more complicated. This longitudinal study confirms that personal identity development is related to illness identity development over time in youth with T1D. Understanding the intricate link between personal and illness identity may help clinicians to tailor their interventions to patients’ individual needs.

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Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash

Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The present findings suggest the importance of integrating personal and illness identity challenges in supporting youth with T1D. Health care providers are encouraged to discuss with their patients whether they experience identity difficulties, and to be aware that difficulties in personal and illness identity often go hand in hand.