A unique feature of diabetes is the extent to which individuals must engage in self-management in order to successfully cope with their condition. Because of the role of self-regulation in diabetic care, subjective sense of control may be a particularly salient psycho-social resource among diabetic people. We examine the influence on distress of mastery, and the subjective experience of diabetes, measured as interference, dissatisfaction, andembarrassment. We also examine gender differences in the influence of these subjective experiences on diabetic people’s distress. We find that gender differences in distress are explained by the greater salience for women’s distress of role-related sense of control, measured as how much diabetes interferes with the performance of roles, and general sense of control, measured as mastery. Results are discussed in terms of gender differences in the experience of roles, and in terms of the implications of results for the management of chronic conditions requiring self-care.
Aneshensel, C.S. , Frerichs, R.R. and Huba, G.J. (1984). Depression and physical illness: A multiwave, non-recursive causal model. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 25, 350–371.
2.
Aneshensel, C.S. and Huba, G.J. (1984). An integrative causal model of the antecedents and consequences of depression over one year. Research in the Community and Mental Health, 4, 35–72.
3.
Barnard, D. (1990). Healing the damaged self: Identity, intimacy, and meaning in the lives of the chronically ill. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 33, 535–546.
4.
Bradley, C. (1980). Sex differences in reporting and rating of life events: A comparison of diabetic and healthy subjects. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 24, 35–37.
5.
Bury, M. (1991). The sociology of chronic illness: A review of research and prospects. Sociology of Health and Illness, 13, 451–468.
6.
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (1991). Diabetes in the United States: A strategy for prevention. Atlanta, GA: Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
7.
Cohen, F. and Lazarus, R.S. (1983). Coping and adaptation in health and illness. In D. Mechanic (Ed.), Handbook of health, health care, and the health professions. New York: Free Press.
8.
Cronbach, L.J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrics, 16, 297–334.
9.
DCCT Research Group (1988). Reliability and validity of a diabetes quality of life measure for the diabetes control and complications trial. Diabetes Care, 11, 725–732.
10.
Dimond, M. (1983). Social adaptation of the chronically ill. In D. Mechanic (Ed.), Handbook of health, health care, and the health professions. New York: Free Press.
11.
Edelwich, J. and Brodsky, A. (1986). Diabetes: caring for your emotions as well as your health. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
12.
Fisher, E.B. Jr , Delamater, A.M., Bertelson, A.D. and Kirkley, B.G. (1982). Psychological factors in diabetes and its treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 993–1003.
13.
Frone, M.R. , Russell, M. and Cooper, M.L. (1991). Relationship of work and family stressors to psychological distress: The independent moderating influence of social support, mastery, active coping, and self-focused attention. In P.L. Perrewe (Ed.), Handbook on job stress, [Special Issue] Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 227–250.
14.
Gavard, J.A. , Lustman, P.J. and Clouse, R.E. (1993). Prevalence of depression in adults with diabetes: An epidemiological evaluation. Diabetes Care, 16, 1167–1178.
15.
Gecas, V. (1989). The social psychology of self-efficacy. Annual Review of Sociology, 15, 291–316.
16.
Jaccard, J. , Turrisi, R., Wan, C.K. (1990). Interaction effects in multiple regression. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
17.
Kelleher, D. (1988). Coming to terms with diabetes: Coping strategies and noncompliance. In R. Anderson and M. Bury (Eds.), Living with chronic illness. London: Unwin Hyman.
18.
Lefcourt, H.M. (1981). Research with the locus of control concept. New York: Academic Press.
19.
Lignowska, I. (1989). Beyond the Anglophone world: The impact of environmental factors upon patient attitudes and behavior. Social Science and Medicine, 29, 681-681.
20.
Mirowsky, J. and Ross, C.E. (1989). Social causes of psychological distress. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
21.
Myers, J.K. , Weissman, M.M., Tischler, G.L., Holzer, C.E., Leaf, P.J., Orvaschel, H., Anthony, J.C., Boyd, J.H., Burke Jr, D.J., Kramer, M. and Stolzman, R. (1984). Six-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders in three communities. Archives in General Psychiatry, 41, 959–967.
22.
Nock, S.L. and Kingston, P.W. (1988). Time with children: The impact of couples’ work-time commitments. Social Forces, 67, 59–85.
23.
Pearlin, L.I. and Schooler, C. (1978). The structure of coping. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 2–21.
24.
Peyrot, M. and McMurry Jr, J.F. (1985). Psychosocial factors in diabetes control: Adjustment of insulin-treated adults. Psychosomatic Medicine, 47, 542–557.
25.
Peyrot, M. and Rubin, R.R. (1994). Structure and correlates of diabetes-specific locus of control. Diabetes Care, 17, 994–1001.
26.
Peyrot, M. and Rubin, R.R. (1997). Levels and risks of depression and anxiety symptomatology among diabetic adults. Diabetes Care, 20, 585–590.
27.
Popkin, M. , Callies, A., Lentz, R., Colon, E. and Sutherland, D. (1988). Prevalence of major depression, simple phobia, and other psychiatric disorders in patients with long-standing Type I diabetes mellitus. Archives of General Psychiatry, 45, 64–68.
28.
Price, M.J. (1993). An experiential model of learning diabetes self-management. Qualitative Health Research, 3, 29–54.
29.
Radley, A. (1989). Style, discourse and constraint in adjustment to chronic illness. Sociology of Health and Illness, 11, 230–251.
30.
Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–385.
31.
Robins, L.N. , Helzer, J.E., Weissman, M.W., Orvaschel, H., Gruenberg, E., Burke, J.D. and Regier, D.A. (1984). Lifetime prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in three sites. Archives of General Psychiatry, 41, 949–958.
32.
Ross, C.E. and Bird, C.E. (1994). Sex stratification and health lifestyle: Consequences for men’s and women’s perceived health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 35, 161–178.
33.
Rubin, R.R. and Peyrot, M. (1998). Men and diabetes: Psychosocial and behavioral issues. Diabetes Spectrum, 11, 81–87.
34.
Silverstone, P.H. (1990). Depression increases mortality and morbidity in acute life-threatening medical illness. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 34, 651–657.
35.
Spielberger, C.D. , Gorsuch, R.L. and Lushene, R.E. (1970). Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
36.
Sullivan, B.J. (1979). Adjustment in diabetic adolescent girls: I. Development of the diabetic adjustment scale. Psychosomatic Medicine, 41, 119–126.
37.
Turner, R.J. and Roszell, P. (1994). Psychosocial resources and the stress process. In W.R. Avison and I.H. Gotlib (Eds.), Stress and mental health: Contemporary issues and prospects for the future. New York: Plenum.
38.
Umberson, D. (1987). Family status and health behaviors: Social control as a dimension of social integration. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 28, 306–319.
39.
US Department of Health and Human Services . (1994). Diabetes special report/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Bethesda, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services.
40.
Van der Does, F.E. , De Neeling, J.N., Snoek, F.J., Kostense, P.J., Grootenhuis, P.A., Bouter, L.M. and Heine, R.J. (1996). Symptoms and well-being in relation to glycemic control in Type II diabetes. Diabetes Care, 19, 204–210.
41.
Watson, D. and Kendall, P. (1989). Understanding anxiety and depression: Their relation to negative and positive affective states. In: P.C. Kendall and D. Watson (Eds.), Anxiety and depression: Distinct and overlapping features. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
42.
Wellman, B. and Wortley, S. (1990). Different strokes for different folks: Community ties and social support. American Journal of Sociology, 96, 558–588.
43.
Wing, R. , Marcus, M., Blair, E., Epstein, L. and Burton, L. (1990). Depressive symptomatology in obese adults with Type II diabetes. Diabetes Care, 13, 170–171.
44.
Wredling, R. , Stalhammar, J., Adamson, U., Berne, C., Larsson, Y. and Ostman, J. (1995). Well-being and treatment satisfaction in adults with diabetes. Quality of Life Research, 4, 515–522.
45.
Zuckerman, D.M. (1989). Stress, self-esteem, and mental health: How does gender make a difference?Sex Roles, 20, 429–444.
