Development and testing of the Diabetes Self-management Instrument: a confirmatory analysis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Psychometrics
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes requires effective self-management for optimal patient outcomes.
• Existing instruments may not fully capture the complexities of diabetes self-management.
• Developing a robust measurement tool is crucial for research and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically evaluate a new instrument to measure self-management in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• To establish the construct validity and reliability of the Diabetes Self-Management Instrument (DSMI).

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to assess construct validity.
• Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability were evaluated.
• Data were collected from 634 adults with type 2 diabetes across three Taiwanese hospitals.

Main Results:

• The initial five-factor model required modification; the revised model demonstrated superior fit to the data.
• The Diabetes Self-Management Instrument (DSMI) showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .94).
• Acceptable test-retest reliability was confirmed (r = .73, p < .01).

Conclusions:

• The psychometrically validated Diabetes Self-Management Instrument (DSMI) is a reliable tool for assessing self-management in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• The modified five-factor model provides a robust framework for understanding diabetes self-management.
• The DSMI can be utilized in clinical and research settings to evaluate and improve diabetes self-care.