Resilience in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes During COVID-19: A Qualitative Investigation

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to youth programming for youth with type 1 diabetes was disrupted, preventing access to opportunities to build meaningful relationships and important skills related to diabetes management. Using a qualitative descriptive methodological approach to study design and analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three youth between the ages of 10-13. Interview prompts based on Wolin and Wolin’s (1993) conceptualization of resilience were asked to youth relating to their everyday experiences, including illness management, protective and risk factors, and characteristics of resilience (insight, independence, relationships, initiative,creativity, humor, and morality). Findings suggest that although access to supports, opportunities, programs, and services designed with the specific needs of youth with T1D diminished with the onset of COVID-19, protective factors present within their immediate environments were perceived as helpful to their overall wellbeing. Protective factor included existing relationships supported through digital communication and parents and other adult family members present within the household as compensatory adult support.