Hope, Humor, and Helplessness: Understanding Psychological Predictors of Distress in Type 2 Diabetics

The present empirical study investigates the contributions of psychological factors - Hope, Humor, and Learned Helplessness - in managing Diabetes Distress among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Indian context. The sample of 100 participants aged 25–60 years was recruited using purposive sampling. Standardized scales, including the Adult Hope Scale, Coping Humor Scale, Learned Helplessness Scale, and Diabetes Distress Scale, were administered. Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and regression analysis using SPSS. Results indicated significant correlations between Diabetes Distress and Hope (r = –0.281, p < 0.01), Humor (r = –0.413, p < 0.01), and Learned Helplessness (r = 0.501, p < 0.01). Regression analyses showed that Hope (7%), Humor (16.2%), and Learned Helplessness (24.4%) accounted for a significant amount of variance in Diabetes Distress, with Learned Helplessness emerging as the strongest predictor. The findings suggest that psychological variables can significantly influence diabetes distress and offer a pathway for developing psychological interventions in diabetes care. Implications include designing integrated psycho-educational programs targeting positive psychology constructs. The study highlights the necessity of incorporating emotional and psychological frameworks into chronic illness management to alleviate related distress, promote better management, enhance physical health outcomes, and improve overall quality of life.