The influence of personality on trajectories of distress, health and functioning in mild-to-moderately depressed adults with type 2 diabetes

ABSTRACT

Identification of mental health risk is important for optimising diabetes care in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Personality is linked to diabetes health and may assist detection of individuals with T2DM most at risk of chronic mental health difficulties. This study examined the moderator effect of personality factors on changes in psychological distress and functioning in adults with T2DM and mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms across a 12-month period. Data were obtained from participants in a randomised controlled trial of adults with T2DM.  Participants completed measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), general functioning (Work and Social Adjustment Scale), diabetes distress (Diabetes Distress Scale), and diabetes self-management (Self-Management Profile for Type 2 Diabetes) at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months. Glycaemic control (HbA1c) was measured at baseline, 6- and 12-months. Two hundred trial completers agreed to complete a personality inventory (Big Five Inventory). Low neuroticism was linked with reduced depression, anxiety, functional impairment and diabetes distress over the year. High extraversion was associated with decreased anxiety and functional impairment. High conscientiousness was linked to increased healthy eating. No personality trait moderated HbA1c levels. Personality screening may help identify mental health risk and guide medical carer approach in T2DM patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Personality
• diabetes
• diabetes distress
• depression
• anxiety

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the dedication and input of all study participants. The authors also acknowledge the support of the National Health and Medical Research Council in funding this research trial (NHMRC Grant 1083116).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Sample characteristics for the 780 SpringboarD Trial participants allocated to either an online intervention or an attention-matched control group showed no significant differences with regards to participants’ age, gender, marital status, employment status, and education levels. A full breakdown of SpringboarD participants’ demographic information split by intervention versus control groups can be found in Clarke et al. (2019).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council [1083116].