Links between psychological sense of control and disturbed eating behavior in women with diabetes mellitus. Implications for predictors of metabolic control.
OBJECTIVE
Eating disturbances and aspects of psychological control are both repeatedly cited as significant correlates of metabolic control in diabetes mellitus (DM), yet such findings are typically discussed in separate literatures and have been criticized for overreliance on outdated constructs of psychological control when more complex means of analysis are available.


METHODS
Utilizing a multidimensional control inventory, this study investigates the relationship between eating disturbance and psychological sense of control, and assesses the utility of these two constructs in predicting metabolic control in 96 women recruited from a specialist diabetes clinic.


RESULTS
Despite significantly overlapping relationships between these two predictor variables and metabolic control, it is control specific to the domain of interpersonal relationships, along with eating disturbance in the form of bulimia/food preoccupation, that independently predicts level of metabolic control.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings have implications for the current form and content of psychological interventions in the management of DM.
Surgenor
Lois J
LJ
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. lois.surgenor@chmeds.ac.nz
Horn
Jacqueline
J
Hudson
Stephen M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D019468:Disease Management; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020377:Self Efficacy
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin