|
 |
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
© 2001 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc.
Epidemiology/Health Services/Psychosocial Research |
The Marital Relationship and Psychosocial Adaptation and Glycemic Control of Individuals With Diabetes
1 State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University
2 Syracuse University
3 Joslin Diabetes Center at Syracuse
4 Veterans Administration Medical Center, Syracuse, New York
OBJECTIVE—To explore the relationship between marital relationship domains (i.e., intimacy and adjustment) and glycemic control and psychosocial adaptation to diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A total of 78 insulin-treated adults with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes were assessed on a single occasion. They completed two marital quality measures (Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships Scale) and four quality-of-life measures (Diabetes Quality of Life Scale, Medical Outcomes Study Health Survey, Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Scale). Glycemic control was assessed by HbA1c. Demographic data (age, sex, type and duration of diabetes, years married, other medical conditions, family history, disability, and years of education) were gathered from the chart and questionnaires.
RESULTS—Concerning psychosocial adaptation, both of the marital quality measures were predictors of aspects of adaptation. Better marital satisfaction was related to higher levels of diabetes-related satisfaction and less impact, as well as less diabetes-related distress and better general quality of life. Higher levels of marital intimacy were related to better diabetes-specific and general quality of life. Concerning glycemic control, there was a nonsignificant trend for marital adjustment scores to relate to HbA1c (P = 0.0568).
CONCLUSIONS—For insulin-treated adults with diabetes, quality of marriage is associated with adaptation to diabetes and other aspects of health-related quality of life. The suggestive finding that marital adjustment may relate to glycemic control warrants further study. Future work should also explore the impact of couples-focused interventions on adaptation, adherence, and glycemic control.
Abbreviations: BG, blood glucose • DAS, Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale • DCCT, Diabetes Control and Complications Trial • DQOL, Diabetes Quality of Life Scale • MCS, Mental Composite Scores • PAID, Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale • PAIR, Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships • PANAS, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule • PCS, Physical Composite Scores • SF-36, Medical Outcomes Study Health Survey
CiteULike 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  B.-J. Shen, A. J. Countryman, A. Spiro III, and R. Niaura The Prospective Contribution of Hostility Characteristics to High Fasting Glucose Levels: The moderating role of marital status Diabetes Care, July 1, 2008; 31(7): 1293 - 1298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. D. Samuel-Hodge, D. C. Watkins, K. L. Rowell, and E. G. Hooten Coping Styles, Well-Being, and Self-Care Behaviors Among African Americans With Type 2 Diabetes The Diabetes Educator, May 1, 2008; 34(3): 501 - 510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. K. Robinson, R. Turrisi, and J. Stapleton Efficacy of a Partner Assistance Intervention Designed to Increase Skin Self-examination Performance Arch Dermatol, January 1, 2007; 143(1): 37 - 41. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Fisher Family Relationships and Diabetes Care During the Adult Years Diabetes Spectr, April 1, 2006; 19(2): 71 - 74. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. H. Polonsky, L. Fisher, J. Earles, R. J. Dudl, J. Lees, J. Mullan, and R. A. Jackson Assessing Psychosocial Distress in Diabetes: Development of the Diabetes Distress Scale Diabetes Care, March 1, 2005; 28(3): 626 - 631. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Diabetes | Diabetes Care | Clinical Diabetes | Diabetes Spectrum |