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Stability of an empirical psychosocial taxonomy across type of diabetes and treatment
Author(s) -
Nouwen A.,
Breton M.C.,
Urquhart Law G.,
Descôteaux J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2007.02009.x
Subject(s) - psychosocial , medicine , optimal distinctiveness theory , diabetes mellitus , psychological intervention , categorization , body mass index , type 2 diabetes , clinical psychology , social support , gerontology , psychiatry , psychology , endocrinology , social psychology , philosophy , epistemology
Aims The aims of the study were (i) to examine whether an empirical psychosocial taxonomy, based on key diabetes‐related variables, is independent of type of diabetes and treatment, and (ii) to further establish the external validation of the taxonomy. Methods In a cross‐sectional study, 82 patients with Type 1 and 86 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were assigned to one of three psychosocial patient profiles based on their Multidimensional Diabetes Questionnaire (MDQ) scores. General psychological and diabetes‐specific measures were obtained through self‐report and HbA 1c was measured. Results Equal proportions of Type 1 and Type 2 patients, and of patients using insulin and oral medication/diet only were classified within each of the three psychosocial profiles. External validation confirmed the validity and distinctiveness of the patients’ profiles. The patient profiles were independent of demographic variables, body mass index, duration of diabetes, complexity of treatment, number of complications, social desirability, and major stress levels. Conclusions The Psychosocial Taxonomy for Patients with Diabetes provides a new way to categorize individuals who may have more in common than just their type of diabetes and/or its treatment and can help target interventions to individual patients’ needs.