TY - JOUR T1 - Compliance with the gluten-free diet: the role of locus of control in celiac disease. JF - J Pediatr Y1 - 2011 A1 - Bellini, Anna A1 - Zanchi, Chiara A1 - Martelossi, Stefano A1 - Di Leo, Grazia A1 - Not, Tarcisio A1 - Ventura, Alessandro KW - Adolescent KW - Age Factors KW - Case-Control Studies KW - Celiac Disease KW - Child KW - Diet, Gluten-Free KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Internal-External Control KW - Italy KW - Male KW - Patient Compliance KW - Quality of Life AB -

OBJECTIVES: To verify whether subjects with celiac disease (CD) have a different locus of control (LoC) compared with healthy subjects, and to evaluate the relationship between LoC and compliance with a prescribed gluten-free diet (GFD) and quality of life (QoL).

STUDY DESIGN: We studied 156 subjects on a GFD (mean age, 10 years) and 353 healthy controls (mean age, 12 years). All subjects completed tests on the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale; the subjects with CD also completed a questionnaire to measure compliance with dietary treatment and the disease's impact on QoL.

RESULTS: There was no difference in LoC values between patients with CD and controls. Subjects with CD with good dietary compliance had a more internal LoC compared with those who were not compliant (P = .01). Patients who reported a satisfactory QoL had a more internal LoC compared with those who reported negative affects on QoL due to CD (P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the usefulness of the LoC concept for identifying those patients who might be at risk for dietary transgression. Given the enhanced, psychological, and social well being that can result from adherence to a GFD, educational and psychological support can help internalize the LoC in those patients at risk for dietary transgression.

VL - 158 IS - 3 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20870245?dopt=Abstract ER -