Idendity development, coping, and adjustment in emerging adults with a chronic illness: the sample case of type 1 diabetes

Abstract Purpose The present study focused on identity development in emerging adults (aged 18–30 years) with type 1 diabetes. The three study aims were to examine the following: (1) whether identity development was affected by having diabetes, as compared with development in a nondiabetic sample; (2) how identity development was related to depressive symptoms, coping with diabetes, and diabetes-related problems in the diabetic sample; and (3) whether the pathways from identity development to problems with diabetes and depressive symptoms were mediated through coping strategies in the diabetic sample. Methods A total of 194 emerging adults with type 1 diabetes and 344 nondiabetic emerging a…