Diabetes problem-solving scale development in an adult, African American sample.
The purpose of this pilot study was to examine psychometric properties of the Diabetes Problem-Solving Scale (DPSS), which was designed to assess how adults with type 2 diabetes approach and manage problems encountered in diabetes self-management.



Participants were 64 African American adults with type 2 diabetes. The 30-item DPSS and measures of social problem solving, diabetes self-management, and depressive symptoms were administered. Blood samples were collected to measure hemoglobin A1C level.



Cronbach alpha for the DPSS total scale was .77 and ranged from .72 to .78 for subscales. Correlations of the DPSS total score and subscale scores with a standardized social problem-solving scale ranged from 0.30 to 0.46 (all P < .01). Higher DPSS total scores, indicating better self-reported diabetes problem solving, were associated with higher medication adherence, more frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose, and lower hemoglobin A1C level. Of the DPSS subscales, Impulsive Style, Negative Transfer of Past Experience/Learning, and Negative Motivation were differentially associated with reduced self-management and disease control.



The DPSS demonstrated acceptable total scale and subscale internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity in this pilot sample. The scale may have utility both in identifying associations between diabetes-related problem solving and self-management and in guiding problem solving interventions to improve self-management and control.
Hill-Briggs
Felicia
F
The Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Hill-Briggs, Dr. Gary, Ms. Batts-Turner, Dr. Brancati)|The Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pubic Health, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Hill-Briggs)
Yeh
Hsin-Chieh
HC
The Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pubic Health, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Yeh, Dr. Gary, Dr. Brancati)
Gary
Tiffany L
TL
The Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Hill-Briggs, Dr. Gary, Ms. Batts-Turner, Dr. Brancati)|The Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pubic Health, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Yeh, Dr. Gary, Dr. Brancati)
Batts-Turner
Marian
M
The Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Hill-Briggs, Dr. Gary, Ms. Batts-Turner, Dr. Brancati)
D'Zurilla
Thomas
T
The Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook (Dr. D'Zurilla)
Brancati
Frederick L
FL
The Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Hill-Briggs, Dr. Gary, Ms. Batts-Turner, Dr. Brancati)|The Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pubic Health, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr. Yeh, Dr. Gary, Dr. Brancati)
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008396:Maryland; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011340:Problem Solving