AUTHOR=Xing Shuping , Liu Yeling , Zhang Hua , Li Bin , Jiang Xinjun 

TITLE=The mediating role of diabetes stigma and self-efficacy in relieving diabetes distress among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a multicenter cross-sectional study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1147101

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1147101

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Background: Patients with diabetes mellitus often suffer from diabetes distress. Social support and certain psychological factors potentially influence diabetes distress, but studies exploring the mechanisms underlying these relationships are scarce.
Objectives: To reveal the associations between social support, diabetes stigma, diabetes self-efficacy, and diabetes distress among patients with type 2 diabetes and the underlying mechanisms linking these variables.
Design and Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional study was adopted and a sample of 431 patients with type 2 diabetes was investigated. Social support, diabetes stigma, diabetes self-efficacy, and diabetes distress were surveyed with the Perceived Social Support Scale, Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Scale, and Diabetes Distress Scale, respectively. The hypothesised model was verified using structural equation modelling.
Results: Social support and diabetes stigma had direct associations with diabetes distress. Diabetes stigma mediated the association between social support and diabetes distress, and the association between diabetes self-efficacy and diabetes distress. Diabetes stigma and self-efficacy exerted a chain mediation effect on the association between social support and diabetes distress.
Conclusions: Social support and diabetes stigma were significant predictors of diabetes distress. Diabetes stigma and self-efficacy play essential mediating roles in relieving diabetes distress. This can provide guidance for the development of evidence- and theory-based interventions. Culturally sensitive interventions that aim to provide ongoing social support, decrease diabetes stigma, and enhance self-efficacy have the potential to relieve diabetes distress.