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Diabetes Burden and Diabetes Distress: the Buffering Effect of Social Support

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Few studies have examined protective factors for diabetes distress.

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the moderating role of social support in the relationship between the burden of diabetes and diabetes distress.

Methods

Adults with type 2 diabetes (N = 119; 29 % Latino, 61 % Black, 25 % White) completed validated measures of diabetes distress and social support. Multiple linear regression evaluated the moderating role of social support in the relationship between diabetes burden, indicated by prescription of insulin and presence of complications, and distress.

Results

Greater support satisfaction was significantly associated with lower distress after controlling for burden. Support satisfaction and number of supports significantly moderated the relationship between diabetes burden and distress. Post hoc probing revealed a consistent pattern: Insulin was significantly associated with more diabetes distress at low levels of support but was not at high levels of support.

Conclusion

Findings support the stress-buffering hypothesis and suggest that social support may protect against diabetes distress.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by a pilot and feasibility grant from the Einstein Diabetes Research Center. Dr. Gonzalez's efforts were additionally supported by grants P60 DK020541 and R18 DK098742 from the National Institutes of Health.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Rousso Building, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA

    Rachel N. Baek M.S., Molly L. Tanenbaum M.A. & Jeffrey S. Gonzalez Ph.D.

  2. Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA

    Jeffrey S. Gonzalez Ph.D.

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  1. Rachel N. Baek M.S.
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  2. Molly L. Tanenbaum M.A.
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  3. Jeffrey S. Gonzalez Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Jeffrey S. Gonzalez Ph.D..

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Baek, R.N., Tanenbaum, M.L. & Gonzalez, J.S. Diabetes Burden and Diabetes Distress: the Buffering Effect of Social Support. ann. behav. med. 48, 145–155 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-013-9585-4

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