Exploring the relationship between diabetes self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, and glycemic control among men and women with type 2 diabetes
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes
Published on: March 7, 2025
Andrea Cherrington1, Kenneth A Wallston, Russell L Rothman
1Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, 725 Faculty Office Tower, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-3407, USA. cherrington@uab.edu
Abstract:
Depression and low self-efficacy are both associated with worse glycemic control in adults with diabetes, but the relationship between these variables is poorly understood. We conducted a cross-sectional study examining associations between depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, and glycemic control among men (n = 64) and women (n = 98) with type 2 diabetes to see if self-efficacy mediates the relationship between depression and glycemic control. Correlational and mediational analyses examined the relationship between these three variables for the sample as a whole and separately by sex. A significant association between depressive symptoms and glycemic control was found for men (0.34, P < 0.01) but not for women (0.05, P = 0.59). Path analysis suggested that, among men, self-efficacy mediates the relationship between depressive symptoms and glycemic control. We conclude that men with depressive symptoms and type 2 diabetes may need tailored interventions that improve their self-efficacy in order to achieve glycemic control.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects