An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes

Fabiana Memmolo; Martin Willis

doi:10.29333/ajqr/13138

Fabiana Memmolo ¹ ^* , Martin Willis ¹

More Detail

AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 89-112

https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

OPEN ACCESS 1059 Views 435 Downloads

Download Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

This study investigated the role of positive emotions, namely hope, in a sample of participants who have diabetes. A sample of five people with diabetes type 1 or 2 was interviewed to investigate their lived experiences in managing this chronic condition. Four superordinate themes were extracted: behavioral changes to manage a demanding disease, cognitive skills, and lifestyle, emotional reactions, hope, and a vision for the future. This study highlights that retaining hope is essential for envisioning the possibility of improvement of health conditions and a better quality of life. Furthermore, self-responsibility and cognitive agility are fundamental to managing diabetes and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: Positive emotions, hope, future, behavioral skills, chronic illness.

References

Ahlin, K., & Billhult, A. (2012). Lifestyle changes: A continuous, inner struggle for women with type 2 diabetes: A qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 30(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.3109/02813432.2011.654193
Ahola, A. J. & Groop, P. H. (2013). Barriers to self‐management of diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, 30(4), 413– 420. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.12105
Benkel, I., Arnby, M., & Molander, U. (2020). Living with a chronic disease: a quantitative study of the views of patients with a chronic disease on the change in their life situation. Sage Open Medicine, 8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312120910350
Bogusch, L. M., & O'Brien, W. H. (2019). The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on diabetes-related distress, quality of life, and metabolic control among persons with diabetes: A Meta-Analytic Review. Behavioral Medicine, 45(1), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2018.1432549
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2014). Dispositional optimism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(6), 293–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2014.02.003
Chang, E. C., Maydeu-Olivares, A., & D'Zurilla, T. J. (1997). Optimism and pessimism as partially independent constructs: Relationship to positive and negative affectivity and psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 23(3), 433–440. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00040-8
Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., Doyle, W. J., Miller, G. E., Frank, E., Rabin, B. S., Turner, R. B. (2012). Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(16), 5995–5999. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1118355109
Collins, M.M., Bradley, C.P., O'Sullivan, T. & Perry, I. J. (2009). Self-care coping strategies in people with diabetes: A qualitative exploratory study. BMC Endocrine Disorder, 9(6). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6823-9-6
Contrada, R., & Goyal, T. (2008). Individual differences, health and illness: The role of emotional traits and generalized expectancies. In S. Sutton, A. Baum, & M. Johnston The SAGE handbook of health psychology (pp. 143–168). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608153.n6
Cromby, J. (2007). Toward a psychology of feeling. International Journal of Critical Psychology. 21, 94–118.
De Ridder, D., Geenen, R., Kuijer, R., & van Middendorp, H., (2008). Psychological adjustment to chronic disease. The Lancet, 372(9634), 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61078-8
Decoster, V. A. (2003). The emotions of adults with diabetes. Social Work in Health Care, 36(4), 79–99. https://doi.org/10.1300/J010v36n04_05
Duangdao, K. M., & Roesch, S. C. (2008). Coping with diabetes in adulthood: A meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(4), 291–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-008-9155-6
Fisher, L., Hessler, D., Polonsky, W., Strycker, L., Guzman, S., Bowyer, V., Blumer, I., & Masharani, U. (2018). Emotion regulation contributes to the development of diabetes distress among adults with type 1 diabetes. Patient Education and Counselling, 101(1), 124–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2017.06.036
Fisher, L., Mullan, J. T., Arean, P., Glasgow, R. E., Hessler, D., & Masharani, U. (2010). Diabetes distress but not clinical depression or depressive symptoms is associated with glycemic control in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Diabetes Care, 33(1), 23–28. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc09-1238
Fisher, L., Polonsky, W. H., Hessler, D. M., Masharani, U., Blumer, I., Peters, A. L., Strycker, L. A., & Bowyer, V. (2015). Understanding the sources of diabetes distress in adults with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, 29(4), 572–577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2015.01.012
Folkman, S., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2000). Stress, positive emotion, and coping. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(4), 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00073.
Franz, M. J., Bantle, J. P., Beebe, C. A., Brunzell, J. D., Chiasson, J. L., Garg, A., Holzmeister, L. A., Hoogwerf, B., Mayer-Davis, E., Mooradian, A. D., Purnell, J. Q., Wheeler, M., & American Diabetes Association (2003). Evidence-based nutrition principles and recommendations for the treatment and prevention of diabetes and related complications. Diabetes Care, 26(1), S51–S61. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.26.2007.s51
Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 300–319. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.300
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. The American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218
Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 359(1449), 1367–1378. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1512
Fredrickson, B. L., Tugade, M. M., Waugh, C. E., & Larkin, G. R. (2003). What good are positive emotions in crises? A prospective study of resilience and emotions following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 365–376. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.84.2.365
Ghazavi, Z., Khaledi-Sardashti, F., Kajbaf, M. B., & Esmaielzadeh, M. (2015). Effect of hope therapy on the hope of diabetic patients. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 20(1), 75–80. https://www.ijnmrjournal.net/text.asp?2015/20/1/75/149820
Giltay, E. J., Geleijnse, J. M., Zitman, F. G., Buijsse, B., & Kromhout, D. (2007). Lifestyle and dietary correlates of dispositional optimism in men: The Zutphen elderly study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 63(5), 483–490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.07.014
Goleman, D., (2005). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
Hoover, J. W. (1983). Patient burnout, and other reasons for noncompliance. The Diabetes Educator, 9(3), 41–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/014572178300900308.
Huffman, J. C., DuBois, C. M., Millstein, R. A., Celano, C. M., & Wexler, D. (2015). Positive psychological interventions for patients with type 2 diabetes: Rationale, theoretical model, and intervention development. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2015. Article 428349. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/428349
Hurley, A. C., & Shea, C. A. (1992). Self-efficacy: Strategy for enhancing diabetes self-care. The Diabetes Educator, 18(2), 146–150. https://doi.org/10.1177/014572179201800208
Ismail, K., Winkley, K., & Rabe-Hesketh, S. (2004). Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of psychological interventions to improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Lancet, 363(9421), 1589–1597. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16202-8
Joensen, L. E., Almdal, T. P., & Willaing, I. (2016). Associations between patient characteristics, social relations, diabetes management, quality of life, glycaemic control and emotional burden in type 1 diabetes. Primary Care Diabetes, 10(1), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcd.2015.06.007
Kalra, S., Jena, B. N., & Yeravdekar, R. (2018). Emotional and psychological needs of people with diabetes. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 22(5), 696–704. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijem.IJEM_579_17
Kok, B. E., Coffey, K. A., Cohn, M. A., Catalino, L. I., Vacharkulksemsuk, T., Algoe, S. B., Brantley, M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). How positive emotions build physical health: Perceived positive social connections account for the upward spiral between positive emotions and vagal tone. Psychological Science, 24(7), 1123–1132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612470827
Makarem, S. C. (2016). Emotions and cognitions in consumer health behaviors: Insights from chronically ill patients into the effects of hope and control perceptions. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 15(3), 208– 215. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1532Makarem, S., Smith, M., Mudambi, S., & Hunt, J. (2014). Why people do not always follow the doctor's orders: The role of hope and perceived control. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 48(3), 457-485. https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12044
Maltby, J., Day, L., & Macaskill, A. (2017). Personality, individual differences and intelligence. Pearson.
Ong, A. D., Benson, L., Zautra, A. J., & Ram, N. (2018). Emodiversity and biomarkers of inflammation. Emotion, 18(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000343
Pathak, V., Jena, B., & Kalra, S. (2013). Qualitative research. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 4(3), 192. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-3485.115389
Peel, E., Parry, O., Douglas, M., & Lawton, J. (2004). Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: A qualitative analysis of patients' emotional reactions and views about information provision. Patient Education and Counseling, 53(3), 269–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2003.07.010
Pérez-Fernández, A., Fernández-Berrocal, P., & Gutiérrez-Cobo, M. J. (2021). The relationship between emotional intelligence and diabetes management: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 754362. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754362
Peterson, C. (2006). A primer in positive psychology. Oxford University Press.
Polonsky, W. H. (1999). Diabetes burnout: What to do when you can’t take it anymore. American Diabetes Association, Canada.
Rad, G. S., Bakht, L. A., Feizi, A., & Mohebi, S. (2013). Importance of social support in diabetes care. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 1(2), Article 62. https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-9531.120864
Rasmussen, H. N., Wrosch, C., Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C. S. (2006). Self‐regulation processes and health: The importance of optimism and goal adjustment. Journal of Personality, 74(6), 1721–1748. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00426.x
Rhonda, J., Winchester, J., Williams, S., Wolfman, T. E., & Egede, L. E. (2016). Depressive symptoms, serious psychological distress, diabetes distress and cardiovascular risk factor control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, 30(2), 312-317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2015.11.010
Richman, L. S., Kubzansky, L., Maselko, J., Kawachi, I., Choo, P. & Bauer, M. (2005). Positive emotion and health: Going beyond the negative. Health Psychology, 24(4), 422–429. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.24.4.422
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. H. (2008). Know thyself and become what you are: A eudaimonic approach to psychological well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies: An Interdisciplinary Forum on Subjective Well-Being, 9(1), 13–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-006-9019-0. SAGE Publications.
Santos, F. R., Sigulem, D., Areco, K. C., Gabbay, M. A., Dib, S. A., & Bernardo, V. (2015). Hope matters to the glycemic control of adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Health Psychology, 20(5), 681–689. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105315573429
Scheier, M. & Carver, C. (1985). Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies. Health Psychology, 4(3), 219–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.4.3.219
Scheier, M., Swanson, J., Barlow, M., Greenhouse, J., Wrosch, C. & Tindle, H. (2021). Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health: A comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional optimism research. The American Psychologist, 76(3), 529–548. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000666
Schiavon, C. C., Marchetti, E., Gurgel, L. G., Busnello, F. M., & Reppold, C. T. (2017). Optimism and hope in chronic disease: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, Article 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02022
Schmidt, C. B., van Loon, B. P., Vergouwen, A. C. M., Snoek, F. J., & Honig, A. (2018). Systematic review and meta‐analysis of psychological interventions in people with diabetes and elevated diabetes‐distress. Diabetic Medicine, 35(9), 1157–1172.
Seligman, M. E. P. (2008). Positive health. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57(Suppl 1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00351.x
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5
Serrabulho, M.d.L., Gaspar de Matos, M., Nabais, J.V., & Raposo, J.F. (2014). Lifestyles and health behaviours of young adults with type 1 diabetes. European Diabetes Nursing, 11(2), 49–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn.248
Smith, J. A. (2004). Reflecting on the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis and its contribution to qualitative research in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1(1), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088704qp004oa
Smith, J. A. & Osborn, M. (2015). Interpretative phenomenological analysis as a useful methodology for research on the lived experience of pain. British Journal of Pain, 9(1), 41–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/2049463714541642
Smith, J. A., Harré, R., & Langenhove, L. V. (Eds.) (1995). Rethinking methods in psychology. SAGE Publications.
Smith, J.A. (2015). Qualitative psychology. A practical guide to research methods.
Snyder, C. R., Irving, L., & Anderson, J. R. (1991). Hope and health: Measuring the will and the ways. In C. R. Snyder, & D. R. Forsyth (Eds.), Handbook of social and clinical psychology: The health perspective (pp. 285–305). Pergamon Press.
Suchy, Y. (2009). Executive functioning: Overview, assessment, and research issues for non-neuropsychologists. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-009-9097-4.
Suchy, Y., Turner, S. L., Queen, T. L., Durracio, K., Wiebe, D. J., Butner, J., Franchow, E. I., White, P. C., Murray, M. A., Swinyard, M., & Berg, C. A. (2016). The relation of questionnaire and performance-based measures of executive functioning with Type 1 diabetes outcomes among late adolescents. Health Psychology, 35(7), 661–669. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000326
Thoolen, B., De Ridder, D., Bensing, J., Gorter, K., & Rutten, G. (2008). No worries, no impact? A systematic review of emotional, cognitive, and behavioural responses to the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Health Psychology Review, 2(1), 65–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437190802311361
Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient individuals use positive emotions to bounce back from negative emotional experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(2), 320–333. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.2.320
Turner, J., & Kelly, B. (2000). Emotional dimensions of chronic disease. The Western journal of medicine, 172(2), 124–128. https://doi.org/10.1136/ewjm.172.2.124
van Dooren, F. E., Denollet, J., Verhey, F. R., Stehouwer, C. D., Sep, S. J., Henry, R. M., Kremers, S. P., Dagnelie, P. C., Schaper, N. C., van der Kallen, C. J., Koster, A., Pouwer, F., & Schram, M. T. (2016). Psychological and personality factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus, presenting the rationale and exploratory results from The Maastricht Study, a population-based cohort study. BMC Psychiatry, 16, Article 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0722-z
Vollmann, M., Scharloo, M., Langguth, B., Kalkouskaya, N., & Salewski, C. (2014). Illness representations mediate the relationship between dispositional optimism and depression in patients with chronic tinnitus: A cross-sectional study. Psychology & Health, 29(1), 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2013.828294
Wierenga, K., Lehto, R., & Given, B. (2017). Emotion regulation in chronic disease populations: An integrative review. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 31, 247–271. https://doi.org/10.1891/1541-6577.31.3.247
Willig, C. (2013). Introducing qualitative research in psychology. Open University Press.
Yalcin, B. M., Karahan, T. F., Ozcelik, M., & Igde, F. A. (2008). The effects of an emotional intelligence program on the quality of life and well-being of patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The Diabetes Educator, 34(6), Article 10131024. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145721708327303
Yi-Frazier, J., Hilliard, M., Cochrane, K., & Hood, K. (2012). The impact of positive psychology on diabetes outcomes: A review. Psychology, 3, 1116–1124. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2012.312A165

Citation

Memmolo, F., & Willis, M. (2023). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(2), 89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

Memmolo, F., and Willis, M. (2023). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 7(2), pp. 89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

Memmolo F, Willis M. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2023;7(2), 89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

Memmolo, Fabiana, and Martin Willis. "An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2023 7 no. 2 (2023): 89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

Memmolo, Fabiana et al. "An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 7, no. 2, 2023, pp. 89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138

Memmolo F, Willis M. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Lived Experiences of People Who Have Diabetes. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2023;7(2):89-112. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/13138