摘要：Abstract Sardinia is the place with the second highest incidence of diabetes mellitus 1 (DM1) in Europe in children and adolescents of paediatric age, with a rate around 40.86 per 105 new cases per year –over four times greater than in the rest of the country–. Much of the literature in this area hypothesizes that the condition of this disease involves a significant correlation with a series of psychosocial and emotional problems –depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem and autonomy, among others–. Therefore, after reaffirming this hypothesis in a group of Spanish patients, the following study aims to determine whether there are differences among Spanish and Sardinia's children and adolescents with diabetes. It is expected that the latter will have a lower rate of maladaptive problems than the Spanish sample, due to the fact that the DM1 is more interiorized in the island's population because of its influence. The present research involved a total of 97 children and adolescents (42 Spanish and 55 Sardinian) between 10 and 18 years old. The instrument used to measure the variables was the Behaviour Assessment System in Children and Adolescents (BASC). Results confirm the main research hypothesis and Sardinian patients have better results in maladaptive dimensions than the Spanish sample –except for those related to scholar maladjustment, where results between both samples are similar–. Thus, the conclusions show that the internalization and standardization of the disease by the environment closest to the patients improves their views regarding and the maladaptive problems that their condition could produce
