Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, cilt.194, sa.6, ss.2171-2178, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background Despite the challenges of adolescence and the additional burden of type 1 diabetes, little is known about how perceptions of meaning in life influence health-related behaviors in this population. Aim To investigate the relationship between meaning in life and healthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Material and methods This descriptive correlational study included 120 adolescents with type 1 diabetes between April 15 and December 25, 2024. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Meaning in Life Scale, and Adolescent Lifestyle Scale. Independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were used for analysis. Results The mean age of participants was 14.55 +/- 2.12 years, and 55.8% were male. The total mean scores were 48.58 +/- 11.33 for the Meaning in Life Scale and 121.14 +/- 17.89 for the Adolescent Lifestyle Scale. A moderate positive correlation was found between meaning in life and healthy lifestyle behaviors (p < 0.05), and weak positive correlations were found with the sub-dimensions of health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, and stress management (p < 0.05). Meaning in life explained 19.4% of the variance in healthy lifestyle behaviors. Conclusions Meaning in life is positively associated with health-promoting behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Although causality cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional study, incorporating meaning-focused assessment and support into care may be beneficial and warrants evaluation in longitudinal and interventional research.