Diagnosing depressive response symptoms in children with diabetes: A single-case study using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51247/pdlc.v7i4.546Keywords:
diagnosis, depressive response, diabetes mellitus, Thematic Apperception Test, childhood depressionAbstract
Childhood depression, particularly among children with chronic illnesses, constitutes a psychological problem requiring early detection. This study aimed to examine the usefulness of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), complemented by clinical interviews, in identifying depressive response symptoms in a girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The single-case clinical method was employed, and the case of a nine-year-old girl was intentionally selected for analysis. Information was obtained through semi-structured clinical interviews with the child, administration of the TAT with standardized observation, and interviews with her mother and teacher. The findings revealed physical symptoms, including sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and headaches, abdominal pain, and chest pain; psychological and emotional symptoms, including anxiety, sadness, crying, irritability, guilt, and fear; social and behavioral symptoms, including withdrawal, social isolation, and some aggressiveness; and cognitive symptoms, including concentration and memory difficulties, low aspirations, and hopelessness. The TAT protocol showed a predominance of inhibition and defensive avoidance strategies, expressed through brief narratives with limited imagination and restricted engagement with the thematic conflicts. This pattern was consistent with the information obtained from the interviews and contributed to corroborating the depressive response. It was concluded that children with type 1 diabetes require timely psychological assessment and coordinated attention from families and schools to promote emotional well-being, school adjustment, comprehensive treatment adherence, and quality of life
Downloads
References
Akrouf, H. C. (1995). What is diabetes?. Éditions Albin Michel.
Al-Sharnoubi, Z. (2002). Psychological problems in children. Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Angold, A. (1988). Childhood and adolescent depression: I. Epidemiological and aetiological aspects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 601–617.
Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Clinical, experimental, and theoretical aspects. Harper & Row.
Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Vol. 3. Loss, sadness and depression. Basic Books.
Cantwell, D. P. (1982). Childhood depression: A review of current research. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.), Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 5, pp. 39–93). Plenum Press.
Delamater, A. M. (2009). Psychological care of children and adolescents with diabetes. Pediatric Diabetes, 10(Suppl. 12), 175–184.
Fayed, H. (2001). Aggression and depression (1st ed.). Muassasat Mahrous.
Freud, S. (1957). Mourning and melancholia. In J. Strachey (Ed. & Trans.), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 14, pp. 237–258). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1917)
Grey, M., Whittemore, R., & Tamborlane, W. (2002). Depression in type 1 diabetes in children: Natural history and correlates. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53(4), 907–911.
International Diabetes Federation. (2021). IDF diabetes atlas (10th ed.).
Johnson, B., Eiser, C., Young, V., Brierley, S., & Heller, S. (2013). Prevalence of depression among young people with Type 1 diabetes: A systematic review. Diabetic Medicine, 30(2), 199–208.
Khiati, M. (1993). Diabetes mellitus in children. Office des Publications Universitaires.
Kovacs, M. (1992). Children's Depression Inventory manual. Multi-Health Systems.
Murray, H. A. (1943). Thematic apperception test manual. Harvard University Press.
Rifaat, M. (2000). Our children and their psychological problems (Latest ed.). Dar wa Maktabat Al-Hilal.
Rouiha, A. (1988). Diabetes mellitus: Its causes, symptoms, and methods of control (1st ed.). Dar Al-Taalim.
Rutter, M. (1966). Children of sick parents: An environmental and psychiatric study. Institute of Psychiatry Maudsley Monographs.
Winnicott, D. W. (1965). The maturational processes and the facilitating environment. International Universities Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lalo Espinoza Freire
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
