Exploring the relationships between illness perceptions, self-efficacy, coping strategies, psychological distress and quality of life in a cohort of adults with diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Diabetes mellitus
• common sense model
• illness perceptions
• coping
• self-efficacy
• anxiety
• depression
• quality of life

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants for the support and interest in our research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.