Participants

Participants were recruited from patients attending a southern Italy pediatric diabetes center from April to November 2018. To be included in the study, patients had to satisfy the following inclusion criteria: aged 13–18 years; T1D diagnosed from at least 1 year of age; and absence of any significant developmental, cognitive, psychological, or medical conditions. An examination of participants with T1D clinical records was systematically conducted to ascertain that the inclusion/exclusion criteria were met.

Control subjects were matched to the clinical group for age and gender; they were recruited from September 2018 to May 2019 from students attending schools in the same geographic area as the case. All children with known physical or psychological handicaps, as assessed by their teachers, were excluded from the control group.