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Poor glucose control can be viewed as a stressor, possibly promulgating diabetes distress. We examined the relationship between perceived blood glucose control and diabetes distress over time using a partially controlled cross-lagged path analysis model. After controlling for demographics, control at 6 months was directly related to change in distress at 12 months. Subsequently, distress at 12 months was directly related to change in control at 18 months. Both 6-month control and distress had significant indirect effects on 18-month control and distress. This demonstrates the nuanced bi-directional relationship between the stress of poor perceived control and diabetes distress.

Background. Medication adherence is negatively related to both diabetes distress (DD) and depressive symptoms (DS). Past research suggests gender differences in adherence, DD, and DS. A gap exists in determining if gender differences in adherence are mediated by DD and DS, or if gender moderates differences in adherence by DD/DS. Aims . This study investigated the relationship between gender, DD, DS, and medication adherence and tested for mediating and moderating effects on medication adherence among American Indian adults with type 2 diabetes. Method . The Maawaji idi-oog mino-ayaawin (Gathering for Health) study was a community-based participatory research collaboration with five American Indian tribes. Participants, randomly recruited from clinic records, shared information during computer-assisted personal interviews. This study includes the 166 participants who reported using medications to treat their diabetes. The relationship between gender, DD, DS, and medication adherence are explored. Possible mediating and moderating effects on medication were tested using regression and path analysis. Results. Females had higher levels of DD and DS and lower levels of medication adherence. Higher levels of DD and DS were both associated with lower medication adherence. No evidence was found that gender moderates the relationship between DD or DS and medication adherence. Instead, DD and DS mediated the relationship between gender and medication adherence. Conclusions . Medication adherence differences in male and female patients may be attributable to DD and DS. The present research highlights both DD and DS as targets for clinicians and researchers alike.

Positive mental health (PMH) is an important construct for understanding the full continuum of mental health. Some socially disadvantaged populations experience a paradoxically high level of PMH despite negative social experiences including discrimination. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and culturally salient correlates of PMH among a cross-sectional sample of 218 American Indian adults living with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although 17.1 percent of individuals in this sample met Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) criteria for depression, 51.5 percent were in flourishing PMH. Perceived discrimination was negatively associated with PMH, and participation in traditional cultural activities was positively associated with PMH. Traditional cultural activities did not appear to buffer the impact of discrimination on PMH. This study contributes to strengths-based research with American Indian communities, furthers our understanding of correlates of PMH, and documents comparatively high rates of flourishing mental health in our sample relative to previously published studies with diverse samples.

This study examines the psychometric properties of a major depressive episode using a large sample (N = 2,907) of outpatients with mood and anxiety disorders. A two-parameter logistic model yielded item threshold and discrimination parameters. A two-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate gender bias. Item thresholds fell along a continuum with the core features of depressed mood and anhedonia, along with fatigue, endorsed at lower levels of depression, and change in appetite and suicidal ideation endorsed at more severe levels. Item discriminations were highest for depressed mood and anhedonia, and lowest for change in appetite and suicidal ideation. The data indicate that the symptoms of depression assess a range of severity, with varying precision in discriminating depression. No gender differences were observed. Three exploratory symptom sets were compared with the full symptom set for depression, offering quantitative evidence that can be used to modify the psychiatric classification system., (© The Author(s) 2014.)