Parent–child interaction: A comparative analysis of the parents of children with diabetes and asthma and of nonchronically ill children.

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated parent–child interactions and analysed the differences between parenting interactions with children affected by asthma and diabetes by comparison with interactions with a child without special needs. Moreover, a comparison between fathers and mothers was made. Methods: In total, 16 couples with a child affected by asthma, 16 couples with a child with diabetes mellitus, and 16 couples with children without any specific ills, completed the Parent Preference Test. Results: The data analysis highlighted different interactions adopted by parents in relation to the characteristics of their children. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal the importance of verifying the different parenting styles adopted in the presence of a child with asthma or diabetes to guarantee the best compliance with the medical intervention.