Exploring the Role of Purpose in Life in Diabetes Self-Managemen

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that is characterized by impaired blood glucose regulation and hyperglycemia. The condition affects millions of individuals in the US, and hundreds of millions of people around the world. Management of T2DM is notoriously difficult and much of the responsibility falls on the individual patient. Effective diabetes self-management requires the performance of numerous health-promoting behaviors on a daily basis, and many individuals struggle to maintain these healthy behaviors over the long term.;The present study investigated purpose in life as a psychological resource that promotes effective diabetes self-management. Purpose in life has been linked to a number of favorable health outcomes, but psychological theory to explain these observed relationships is relatively underdeveloped and untested. This research sought to expand current theory regarding the role of purpose in life in health promotion and evaluate the construct's potential contributions to diabetes care. The sample consisted of 119 adults with T2DM. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate research hypotheses based on existing theory. Results indicated that purpose in life is associated with diet and exercise, two of the cornerstone behaviors of diabetes self-management. Mediation analyses further revealed that the relationship between purpose in life and diet was fully mediated by autonomous motivation for healthy eating. The relationship between purpose in life and exercise was partially mediated by autonomous motivation. A number of moderator tests were also conducted, but findings were generally not statistically significant. In one moderator test that trended toward significance, the relationship between depression and diet appeared to be moderated by purpose in life, but statistical power was likely insufficient to detect this effect. The findings of this study help extend current understanding of the role of purpose in life in diabetes self-management, while also contributing to the growing literature on purpose in life and health promotion more generally. As clinicians strive to provide comprehensive care to patients with diabetes, these findings indicate that purpose in life is a psychological factor that does influence self-management outcomes. Implications for clinical practice and future research efforts are discussed.