Authors: Danielle M Hessler, William H Polonsky, Lisa Strycker, Diana Naranjo, Katherine Greenberg, Lawrence Fisher
Abstract
Aims: To document stability and change over time, define a minimal clinically important difference (MCID), and examine the predictive validity of the new Type 1 Diabetes Distress Assessment System (T1-DDAS).
Methods: A total of 574 adults with type 1 diabetes recruited through national registries and previous studies completed the T1-DDAS Core and Source scales alongside a report of insulin taking and glycaemic measures at baseline and 6 months later.
Results: The MCID for the T1-DAS is ±0.27. T1-DDAS scores were highly stable over 6 months: 88% of individuals with elevated Core Diabetes Distress (DD) in the study continued to report elevated DD at or above the 2.0 threshold 6 months later; 57% reported no improvement or a worsening in Core DD based on MCID. Elevated DD at baseline was linked to worsening in reported missed insulin bolus taking and HbA1c at 6 months.
Conclusions: Findings add to our understanding of DD and the utility of the T1-DDAS by demonstrating the stability and predictive validity of the T1-DDAS Core and Source scales to assess DD.
Keywords: diabetes distress; emotion; type 1 diabetes.
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