Coping and psychosocial adjustment of women with diabetes

PURPOSE the purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between coping styles and psychosocial adjustment for women with diabetes. METHODS The sample consisted of 115 community-residing women with diabetes. Coping was measured by the Revised Jalowiec Coping Scale and psychosocial adjustment by the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. Pearson's product moment correlation was used to assess relationships between coping and adjustment. RESULTS The most frequently and effectively used coping styles were optimistic, confrontive, self-reliant, and supportant. The psychological, social, and health care domains showed the most problems; the fewest were in the extended family, sexual, and vocational domains. Relationships were found between women's coping styles and psychosocial adjustment, with better adjustment associated with effective use of confrontive, supportant, optimistic, self-reliant, and palliative coping styles. CONCLUSIONS Important relationships exist between the ways women cope with diabetes and their level of psychosocial adjustment to the illness. Knowledge of these relationships can help diabetes educators assist clients in making lifestyle changes.