The Self-Determination Theory: Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual-theoretical-empirical model addressing variables associated with self-management of care and adherence to treatment and its relationship to health-related quality of life for adolescents with congenital heart disease. There is limited research on adolescents with congenital heart disease regarding the relationship between autonomy, relatedness, competence, self-management of care and adherence to treatment, and health-related quality of life. The proposed Health-Related Quality of Life and Transition of Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease to Self-Manage in Adulthood model, adapted from the Self-Determination Theory, will help to better understand these relationships.