Motivation and dietary self-care in adults with diabetes: Are self-efficacy and autonomous self-regulation complementary or competing constructs?

Abstract

This study examined constructs drawn from social-cognitive theory (A. Bandura, 1986) and self-determination theory rE. L. Deci & R. M. Ryan, 1985, 1991) in relation to dietary self-care and life satisfaction among 638 individuals with diabetes. A motivational model of diabetes dietary self-care was proposed, which postulates direct links between self-efficacy/autonomous self-regulation, a d adherence/ life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling showed that both self-efficacy and autonomous self-regulation were associated with adherence (/3s =.54 and.21, respectively) and with life satisfaction (/3s =.15 and.34, respectively). Constraint analyses confirmed that self-efficacy was significantly more associated with adherence, whereas autonomous self-regulation was significantly more associated with life satisfaction. According to the model, interventions for dietary self-care and life satisfaction should focus on increasing self-efficacy and autonomous self-regulation. Key words: autonomous self-regulation, self-efficacy, motivation, diabetes, dietary self-care, life satisfaction It is generally agreed that dietary self-care is the most central element of diabetes management, although many individuals with diabetes fail to follow the recommended dietary self-care activities on a regular basis (e.g., Ary, Toobert, Wilson, & Glasgow, 1986). An area of psychology that has particular relevance to the issue of adherence to self-care activities is the study of motivation (e.g.,