Diabetes Management: An Exploration into the Verbal Support Attempts of Relational Others

Abstract

This research employed a message-centered approach to explore how women managing diabetes through diet modification describe the support attempts of relational others including family, friends, co-workers and health professionals. In-depth interviews with 30 women diagnosed with non-insulin dependent diabetes were conducted. From this data, five speech acts that women with diabetes encounter when attempting to engage in healthy eating behaviors were identified and illustrated: deterrence, indifference, encouragement, compliment and temptation. The context and features of the acts are dissected to better understand when an act is perceived as supportive or nonsupportive.

Keywords:

• Social support
• Diabetes management
• Diet

Notes

This paper is based on the author's doctoral dissertation completed at The Ohio State University in August 2000 under the direction of Donald J. Cegala. An earlier version of the paper was presented at the November 2002 National Communication Association Convention in New Orleans, LA.