The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectancy, and Metabolic Control in People With Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationships between self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and metabolic control in people who have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Thirty-seven adults with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus completed questionnaires assessing diabetic-related self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Their level of metabolic control was determined using glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) and blood glucose. The subjects were statistically divided into groups of metabolic control--good and poor--based on the results of their GHb. The relationships between self-efficacy and outcome expectancy were analyzed for both groups. Results of Pearson Product Moment correlations did not reveal significant correlations between GHb and self-efficacy or between GHb and outcome expectancy for the entire group of diabetics and for each glycemic-control group. An analysis of the relationship between GHb and self-efficacy with the outcome expectancy scores partialled out proved to be significant in a positive direction. Findings were contrary to the predominance of research in health-related and diabetic-specific self-efficacy. However, for diabetics in poor control, the relationship between self-efficacy and GHb without the influence of outcome expectancy deserves further investigation.