Exploring the relationships between illness perceptions, self-efficacy, coping strategies, psychological distress and quality of life in a cohort of adults with diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes has a significant negative impact on mental health and quality of life (QoL). Underpinned by the Common Sense Model (CSM) the mediating role of coping patterns, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression symptoms on the relationship between illness perceptions and QoL in patients diagnosed with diabetes was evaluated. A total of 115 participants with diabetes (56, Type 1; 59, Type 2), 51% female and an average age of 52.69 (SD = 15.89) in Australia completed self-report measures of illness perceptions and psychological wellbeing. Baseline measures included illness perceptions, coping styles, psychological distress (anxiety and depression symptoms), self-efficacy, and quality of life. Mediating relationships were measured using structural equation modelling. A model of good fit was identified explaining 51% of the variation in QoL. Illness perceptions directly influenced QoL, maladaptive coping, self-efficacy, and anxiety symptoms. The relationship between illness perceptions and QoL was partially mediated by anxiety; illness perceptions and depression was fully mediated by maladaptive coping and self-efficacy; and self-efficacy and QoL was partially mediated by depressive symptoms. Findings provide validation of the CSM in a diabetes cohort. Psychological interventions likely to have the most benefit on psychological distress and QoL are those targeting mediating psychological processes, including maladaptive coping and self-efficacy.
['Knowles|Simon R|SR|0000-0001-8000-1000', 'Apputhurai|Pragalathan|P|', "O'Brien|Casey L|CL|", 'Ski|Chantal F|CF|0000-0003-1324-2933', 'Thompson|David R|DR|0000-0001-8518-6307', 'Castle|David J|DJ|0000-0002-3075-1580']
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001007:Anxiety D001294:Attitude to Health D001315:Australia D015331:Cohort Studies D003863:Depression D003920:Diabetes Mellitus D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D000079225:Psychological Distress D011788:Quality of Life D020377:Self Efficacy D013315:Stress, Psychological
illness perceptions self-efficacy coping quality of life Diabetes mellitus common sense model anxiety depression