Personal Models of Diabetes and Their Relations to Self-care Activities.
Hampson, Sarah E. 1; Glasgow, Russell E.; Toobert, Deborah J.
[Article] Health Psychology. 9(5):632-646, 1990.

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Investigated the personal models (PMs) of diabetes held by 46 female outpatients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 24 of whom were taking insulin. Two weeks after an interview, Ss provided information about levels of self-care activities, including exercise, diet, and glucose testing. The interview provided indicators of the PM constructs from which 4 composites were formed assessing cause, symptoms, treatment, and seriousness. These dimensions significantly improved the prediction of diet level and marginally improved the prediction of exercise after accounting for the effects of age and insulin taking. Results are discussed in terms of variations in PMs across different patient groups and diseases and the role of PMs in determining self-care behaviors.

(C) 1990 by the American Psychological Association