The role of willpower beliefs in diabetes distress and general emotional well‐being in adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Aims To examine the role implicit theories of willpower play in the experience of diabetes distress and general emotional well‐being using a cross sectional study design. Methods Australian adults with type 2 diabetes ( N = 270; 56% women; age: 61 ± 12 years), recruited via a national diabetes registry, completed an online survey assessing: willpower beliefs, general emotional well‐being, diabetes distress, personality, general self‐efficacy and diabetes self‐efficacy. Analyses included bivariate correlations and linear regression, adjusted for demographic, clinical and psychological variables. Results Unadjusted analyses showed willpower beliefs have moderate correlations with general emotional well‐being, emotionality and general self‐efficacy; and weak correlations with diabetes distress, diabetes self‐efficacy, extraversion, conscientiousness and age. Adjusted analyses showed willpower beliefs are a significant predictor of general emotional well‐being, but not diabetes distress, independent of self‐efficacy and diabetes distress, and potentially mediated by personality and diabetes self‐efficacy. Conclusions Willpower beliefs predict general emotional well‐being, but not diabetes distress. Further research is needed to confirm these pathways.