Table 3 Coping strategies adopted by mothers of diabetic children

 Emotional expression (e.g., let others know what I feel)

66.1

 Emotional regulation (e.g., keep my feelings under control)

61.9

 Problem solving (e.g., try to find different ways to fix the problem)

55.6

 Acceptance (e.g., try to live with things the way they are)

71.6^a

 Cognitive restructure (e.g., think about good things learnt from the situation)

66.5

 Positive thinking (e.g., tell myself that everything will be ok)

58.4

 Avoidance(e.g., try to be away from things that remind me of the problem)

68.8^a

 Denial (e.g., tell myself that it is not real)

39.4

 Wishful thinking (e.g., tell myself that everything would work itself out).

61.6

 Distraction (e.g., keep my mind off the problem by doing a hobby, watching TV)

29.4^b

 Emotional arousal (e.g., during the problem I get upset by things that don't usually bother me)

69.3^a

 Intrusive thoughts (e.g., cannot stop thinking about the problems when I try to sleep, or I have bad dreams about them).

64.4

 Physical arousal (e.g., when I have problems, I feel it in my body: my heart races, I feel hot or sweaty)

64.4

 Rumination (e.g., I cannot stop thinking about how I am feeling, when I have a problem)

54.8

 Impulsive action (e.g., I cannot control what I say or do, when I have a problem)

42.0

 Involuntary avoidance (e.g., I cannot stop myself from getting away from things that remind me of the problem)

38.0

 Inaction (e.g., I cannot do anything, when I have a problem)

29.4^b

 Cognitive inference (e.g., my mind goes blank, when I have a problem)

29.0^b

 Emotional numbing (e.g., I do not feel anything at all, when I have a problem)

27.3^b