Self-efficacy and diabetes: why is emotional 'education' important and how can it be achieved?

Adequate age-appropriate diabetes knowledge and skills are essential to the success of diabetes self- and parental care. Health professionals have a central role in providing diabetes education. A direct link between diabetes knowledge and diabetes regimen behaviour cannot be assumed. Health professionals have to help children and their parents to develop the emotional concept of 'self-efficacy for diabetes self-care', to ensure optimal diabetes control. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel