Sixty-two mothers and 45 fathers of children with diabetes completed questionnaires to assess their confidence to manage the disease and treatment. Implications of parental confidence for attitudes to (1) child-rearing, (2) coping and (3) perceived restrictions of the disease were considered. Mothers and fathers differed in reported child-rearing behaviours and strategies for coping. More confident fathers reported that information was helpful in coping with the disease, while more confident mothers reported that support from the family was more helpful. Predictors of children's locus of control scores differed between mothers and fathers. However, children expressed more external locus of control beliefs where parents believed their children to be more restricted.

Investigated age and gender differences in adjustment to chronic disease in children suffering from one of five conditions: diabetes, asthma, cardiac disease, epilepsy, and leukemia. Ratings of adjustment and disease-related restrictions were obtained separately from mothers and fathers. Factor analysis of the adjustment scale yielded 6 subscales which differentiated between children in terms of age and disease type, and to a lesser extent, gender. Mothers' and fathers' ratings of adjustment and restrictions were comparable, though fathers made less differentiation on the basis of disease or age. For both parents, perceived restrictions of the disease were associated with poorer adjustment in the child, and this was particularly reflected on indices of peer relations and work.