Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation

The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of emotional variables in diabetes adaptation. This is in order to develop and test a conceptual model simultaneously involving emotional variables consistent with a conceptual framework looking at chronic illness as a loss of good self. A conv...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Francesco Marchini, Andrea Caputo, Angela Napoli, Jerilyn Tan Balonan, Gabriella Martino, Valentina Nannini, Viviana Langher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Messina 2018-12-01
Series:Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/1981
_version_ 1811268221709320192
author Francesco Marchini
Andrea Caputo
Angela Napoli
Jerilyn Tan Balonan
Gabriella Martino
Valentina Nannini
Viviana Langher
author_facet Francesco Marchini
Andrea Caputo
Angela Napoli
Jerilyn Tan Balonan
Gabriella Martino
Valentina Nannini
Viviana Langher
author_sort Francesco Marchini
collection DOAJ
description The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of emotional variables in diabetes adaptation. This is in order to develop and test a conceptual model simultaneously involving emotional variables consistent with a conceptual framework looking at chronic illness as a loss of good self. A convenience sample of 59 participants with a diagnosis of type 1 (n= 26) and type 2 (n=33) diabetes mellitus (Mean age= 57.17, SD=16.82) completed measures of diabetes distress, psychological adjustment to diabetes, diabetes self-care (as outcomes of diabetes adaptation) and depression, alexithymia and damaged ego-related strategies (as emotional variables). Correlation analyses among the examined measures were performed; as well, regression analyses were used to test the role of such emotional variables (as potential predictors) in accounting for diabetes adaptation outcomes. The results overall suggest that lower depression and higher mania contribute to diabetes adaption to a statistically significant extent, despite mania not being associated with self-care behaviors. The study raises a controversial debate about the meaningfulness of the psychological process of adjustment to diabetes without considering the role of underlying symbolic and less conscious dynamics.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T21:17:55Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3b324e3d83c746bebdaacf792f8fc512
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2282-1619
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T21:17:55Z
publishDate 2018-12-01
publisher University of Messina
record_format Article
series Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology
spelling doaj.art-3b324e3d83c746bebdaacf792f8fc5122022-12-22T03:16:22ZengUniversity of MessinaMediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology2282-16192018-12-016310.6092/2282-1619/2018.6.19811587Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes AdaptationFrancesco MarchiniAndrea CaputoAngela NapoliJerilyn Tan BalonanGabriella MartinoValentina NanniniViviana LangherThe aim of the present study is to investigate the role of emotional variables in diabetes adaptation. This is in order to develop and test a conceptual model simultaneously involving emotional variables consistent with a conceptual framework looking at chronic illness as a loss of good self. A convenience sample of 59 participants with a diagnosis of type 1 (n= 26) and type 2 (n=33) diabetes mellitus (Mean age= 57.17, SD=16.82) completed measures of diabetes distress, psychological adjustment to diabetes, diabetes self-care (as outcomes of diabetes adaptation) and depression, alexithymia and damaged ego-related strategies (as emotional variables). Correlation analyses among the examined measures were performed; as well, regression analyses were used to test the role of such emotional variables (as potential predictors) in accounting for diabetes adaptation outcomes. The results overall suggest that lower depression and higher mania contribute to diabetes adaption to a statistically significant extent, despite mania not being associated with self-care behaviors. The study raises a controversial debate about the meaningfulness of the psychological process of adjustment to diabetes without considering the role of underlying symbolic and less conscious dynamics.http://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/1981Chronic illnessPsychodynamicDepressionAlexithymiaDiabetes
spellingShingle Francesco Marchini
Andrea Caputo
Angela Napoli
Jerilyn Tan Balonan
Gabriella Martino
Valentina Nannini
Viviana Langher
Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology
Chronic illness
Psychodynamic
Depression
Alexithymia
Diabetes
title Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
title_full Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
title_fullStr Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
title_full_unstemmed Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
title_short Chronic Illness as Loss of Good Self: Underlying Mechanisms Affecting Diabetes Adaptation
title_sort chronic illness as loss of good self underlying mechanisms affecting diabetes adaptation
topic Chronic illness
Psychodynamic
Depression
Alexithymia
Diabetes
url http://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/1981
work_keys_str_mv AT francescomarchini chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT andreacaputo chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT angelanapoli chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT jerilyntanbalonan chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT gabriellamartino chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT valentinanannini chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation
AT vivianalangher chronicillnessaslossofgoodselfunderlyingmechanismsaffectingdiabetesadaptation