Physical symptom complaints, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, self‐compassion and diabetes distress among adults with Type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Aims Diabetes‐related distress is common among adults with Type 2 diabetes and is consistently associated with poorer self‐management and treatment outcomes. However, little is known about the psychological factors that may contribute to or protect against diabetes distress. This study examined illness burden, and positive and negative ways of thinking and relating to oneself in times of stress, as independent correlates of diabetes distress, cross sectionally and longitudinally. Method A total of 120 adults treated for Type 2 diabetes reported their physical symptom complaints, cognitive emotion regulation, self‐compassion and diabetes distress at baseline; 110 completed a 3‐month follow‐up assessment of diabetes distress. Pearson correlations and multivariable linear regression tested baseline and longitudinal relationships. Results Baseline diabetes distress was associated with greater use of negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies (r = 0.43, P < 0.01), greater tendency towards self‐criticism, self‐judgement and over‐identification (r = 0.37, P < 0.01), and greater physical symptom burden (r = 0.50, P < 0.01). Baseline physical symptoms and negative cognitive emotion regulation were independently associated with baseline diabetes distress. Baseline physical symptoms and negative aspects of self‐compassion significantly predicted diabetes distress over 3 months. Positive aspects of cognitive emotion regulation and self‐compassion were not independently associated with diabetes distress cross sectionally or longitudinally. Conclusion Greater symptom burden along with the use of negative cognitive emotion regulation and negative aspects of self‐compassion were independently associated with diabetes distress. If these relations are explained by causal influence, these modifiable factors could be fruitful targets for intervention research.

Testing the Indirect Effect of Type 1 Diabetes on Life Satisfaction Through Self-Compassion and Self-Coldness

“…As such, we cannot be certain about the directions of the relationship between self-compassion, self-coldness, and life satisfaction. However, we prepared our model based on experimental and correlational findings indicating that selfcompassion exerts a positive influence on life satisfaction and well-being, whereas self-coldness predicts depression and anxiety (Eriksson et al 2018;Kane et al 2018). To infer causality, future studies should examine our study model longitudinally.…”

“…A growing number of studies have demonstrated that the three positive scales and three negative scales of the SCS in fact create two separate, superordinate factors (named selfcompassion and self-coldness or self-criticism, respectively; Brenner et al 2017;López et al 2015) that are theoretically distinct, have unique associations with well-being and distress, and respond differently to interventions (Brenner et al 2018;Eriksson et al 2018). In diabetes research, one study considered the distinction between self-compassion and selfcoldness (Kane et al 2018); in a sample of adults with T2D, baseline self-coldness significantly predicted diabetes distress over 3 months. By contrast, self-compassion was not independently correlated with diabetes distress, neither crosssectionally nor longitudinally (Kane et al 2018).…”

“…In diabetes research, one study considered the distinction between self-compassion and selfcoldness (Kane et al 2018); in a sample of adults with T2D, baseline self-coldness significantly predicted diabetes distress over 3 months. By contrast, self-compassion was not independently correlated with diabetes distress, neither crosssectionally nor longitudinally (Kane et al 2018).…”

The effect of revised process recording on self‐focus and self‐compassion: A randomized controlled pilot study

“…30 Fourth, self-compassion is strongly related to compassion for others. 23,31 Therefore, self-compassion could play a protective and facilitative role when using process recording, which has a potential risk of negative effects such as inducing excessive rumination; its use should therefore be considered and enhanced in nursing education.…”

Language Matters—the campaign continues!

“…Kane et al . have highlighted the high rates of diabetes distress in people with Type 2 diabetes, linking distress with more self‐criticism and ‐judgement as well as with physical symptoms. There seems no doubt that greater attention is needed to identify psychological morbidity in people with diabetes and Rauwerda et al .…”