Table IV.
Themes and subcategories
| Theme | Subcategories (number of respondents) |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hibernation: Awareness of Responsibility | 1–1 Physical changes (N = 10) 1–2 Self-awareness (N = 4) 1–3 Advice from others (N = 8) |
1–1 Awareness of responsibilities due to appearance of secondary sexual characteristics 1–2 Environmental causes of self-awareness and the need to shoulder responsibility 1–3 Reminders by others and taking responsibility when growing up |
| 1–4 Peer comparison (N = 8) |
1–4 Comparison with friends and wanting to shoulder responsibility | |
| 2. Emergence: Attempts to Take Responsibility | 2–1 Opportunistic demonstration (N = 6) | 2–1 Taking chances to strive to perform and obtain trust |
| 2–2 Recovering control (N = 6) |
2–2 Recovering autonomy through hard and soft approaches | |
| 2–3 Breaking out of shackles (N = 3) |
2–3 Remaining indifferent and carrying out actions according to one’s wishes | |
| 2–4 Practicing decision making (N = 7) | 2–4 Attempting to make decisions for the disease through encouragement and support | |
| 3. Perseverance: Encountering Difficulties | 3–1 Reality shock (N = 10) |
3–1 Feeling helpless because reality does not equate to what is imagined 3–2 Feeling depressed due to the realization that it is easy in theory, but difficult in practice 3–3 Disease stigmatization resulting in ostracism or bullying 3–4 Experiencing interpersonal problems due to lack of understanding of the disease |
| 3–2 Easy in theory, but difficult in practice (N = 11) | ||
| 3–3 Negative labels (N = 4) | ||
| 3–4 Interpersonal problems (N = 7) | ||
| 4. Anxiety: Multiple worries | 4–1 Blood glucose worsening (N = 10) 4–2 Financial difficulties (N = 8) 4–3 Short lifespan (N = 8) 4–4 Obstacles in forming a family and looking for employment (N = 7) 4–5 Inheritability of type 1 diabetes (N = 8) |
4–1 Feeling anxious due to poor glycaemic control 4–2 Economic pressure due to insufficient subsidies or insurance 4–3 Fear of premature death 4–4 Fear that employment, marriage, and having children will be obstructed 4–5 Worry that type 1 diabetes will be inherited to children |
| 5. Hesitation: Back and Forth | 5–1 Shifting back and forth between independence and dependence (N = 10) 5–2 Hovering between reality and ideals(N = 7) 5–3 Entanglement between the intrinsic and extrinsic (N = 4) |
5–1 Shifting back and forth between independence and dependence 5–2 Hovering between reality and ideals 5–3 Struggling between intrinsic tangible health and extrinsic image and temptation |
| 6. Exit: Finding a Way Out | 6–1 Positive attack (N = 5) 6–2 Dare to try (N = 4) 6–3 Precautions against the unknown (N = 7) 6–4 Thought adjustment (N = 6) 6–5 Making requests (N = 5) 6–6 Entrusting spirituality (N = 5) 6–7 Setting goals (N = 4) |
6–1 Directly stating disease to avoid questioning or embarrassment 6–2 Ignoring risks and adjusting routine care or treatment according to one’s wishes 6–3 Proposing strategies to reduce damage caused by disease 6–4 Change of thinking to accept facts and decrease frustration 6–5 Acknowledge shortcomings and needs and proposing ideas or seeking help 6–6 Obtaining spiritual peace through beliefs or religious support 6–7 Formulating disease management goals and slowly taking responsibility |