Exploring identity development in adolescents living with type 1 diabetes : a critical review

Abstract

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) can be described as a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by increased blood glucose level which are due to the insulin deficiency. The prevalence of T1DM in adolescents is increasing worldwide and with that the challenges these adolescents have to face. For example, one of the challenges being that an adolescent yearns for social acceptance, which can result in him/her neglecting his/her injections and seeking to continue an identity as a “well” or “healthy” person. The majority of research focuses on the needs of the youth who are diagnosed with T1DM, while only a few research studies considered identity development within adolescents living with T1DM. The aim of this critical review was to investigate existing literature on identity development in adolescents living with T1DM. The research aimed to describe current national and international research and theories on identity development in adolescents living with T1DM. It further aimed to identify gaps within existing scientific literature. After the gaps had been identified within the selected sources, themes emerged which helped the research study to answer the following research question that was posed in the beginning: What does scientific literature state regarding identity development in adolescents living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus? The approach followed for this research study was a critical review. The overall purpose of the critical review was to assess, evaluate and discuss available information on identity development within adolescents living with T1DM. The research study utilized the following six phases to conduct this critical review: Phase 1: Define the purpose of the review, Phase 2: Defining the scope of the review, Phase 3: Identifying and selecting the sources of relevant information, Phase 4: Reviewing the literature, Phase 5: Writing the review and then Phase 6: Apply the literature to the proposed study. After using thematic analysis three main themes emerged from the data set. These themes included: Theme 1: Identity develops differently in adolescents living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus than those who do not have the chronic condition, Theme 2: Adolescents living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can either incorporate or contain their chronic condition in relation to their identity development and Theme 3: External factors influence identity development in adolescents living with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Several recommendations can be considered when conducting future research. These recommendations include to widen the age range, to use more keywords and look for alternative words that can be used. It will be beneficial for future studies to include more languages as valuable information could be found in these. There should be more interventions designed or developed to assist adolescents when they are trying to establish an identity while having a chronic condition such as T1DM. Lastly, there is a vast amount of research needed in the South African context when it comes to identity development in adolescents living with T1DM.