The consequences of anxious temperament for disease detection, self-management behavior, and quality of life in Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the consequences of anxious temperament for disease detection, self-management behavior, and quality of life in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Method: A sample of 204 individuals newly diagnosed with T2DM completed measures of anxious temperament, self-management behavior, and quality of life; participants also supplied a blood sample for glycated hemoglobin (A1C) analysis at initial diagnosis (baseline) and at 6-month follow-up (as indicators of disease progression at diagnosis and achieved glycemic control, respectively). Results: Anxious temperament was inversely associated with A1C at both baseline and at 6-month follow-up. However, the association between anxious temperament and A1C at follow-up was mostly accounted for by the association between anxious temperament and baseline A1C and not by the uptake of self-management behaviors after diagnosis. Higher levels of anxious temperament were also associated with an increased likelihood of having been diagnosed with a prediabetic condition but were associated with poorer quality of life at both time points. Conclusion: Anxious temperament appears to be a double-edged sword that may facilitate early detection but not subsequent behavioral or emotional adjustment to T2DM.