Abstract

MARCELINO, Daniela Botti  and  CARVALHO, Maria Dalva de Barros. Emotional aspects of diabetic children: experience of group attendance. Psicol. estud. [online]. 2008, vol.13, n.2, pp. 345-350. ISSN 1413-7372.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-73722008000200017.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease which afflicts children, adolescents and young adults and that has increased worldwide. Its treatment demands intensive glycemic control to avoid future complications. Owing to the fact that it is a chronic disease and needs a great attention, the diabetic type 1 person has important emotional effects. Psychological attendance makes it possible for the patient to gain psychic acceptance of being ill and the psychological elaboration of the struggle for the perfect body. This contributes towards the patient’s motivation concerning precautions related to the disease. Current research evaluates the emotional aspects of diabetic children using tests and projective techniques. Six diabetic children, subjects of research, were assisted by the Diabetes with Control and Educational Purpose project (DOCE). Results showed that several projections were linked to fear, worry and painful feelings brought by the disease. The psychological attendance group helped towards the elaboration of such feelings.

Keywords : Diabetes Mellitus type 1; emotional aspects; group attendance.