Aim:To develop and test a predictive model of self-management based on the theory of the information-motivation-behavioural skills model and previous literature on self-management for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Design: A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used.Methods: A convenience sample recruited 248 patients with COPD from the pulmonary medicine clinic in South Korea between July 2020 and June 2021. We used self-administrated, structured questionnaires for dyspnoea, health status, knowledge, attitude, social support, self-efficacy and self-management. Data were analysed using path analysis to test a self-management model for patients with COPD.Results: Gender, COPD self-management knowledge, social support and COPD selfefficacy had a direct effect on COPD self-management. Dyspnoea, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage, health status, COPD self-management attitude and social support had an indirect effect on self-management in patients with COPD. These variables explained 43.2% of the total variance for self-management in patients with COPD.Conclusions: When assessing self-management of COPD; demographic and clinical factors, knowledge, attitudes, social support and self-efficacy included in the information-motivation-behavioural skills model should be considered together.