Psychol Health Med. 2026 Jun 11:1-16. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2026.2686302. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate the level of self-regulatory fatigue and its associated factors among young and middle-aged adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), examining the mediating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between perceived social support and self-regulatory fatigue. A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2025 in Shandong Province, China. A total of 261 patients aged 18-59 years with T2DM were recruited via convenience sampling from a tertiary hospital. Participants completed a series of structured questionnaires, including the Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Scale of Perceived Social Support. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis with the SPSS PROCESS macro. The mean score for self-regulatory fatigue was 42.22 ± 5.72, which was higher than the general population norm. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified longer diabetes duration (β = 0.106, p = 0.01), greater number of complications (β = 0.102, p = 0.008), lower psychological resilience (β = -0.142, p = 0.013), lower perceived social support (β = -0.508, p < 0.001) and lower self-management behaviors (β = -0.144, p < 0.001) as significant independent predictors of higher self-regulatory fatigue. Mediation analysis revealed that psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between social support and self-regulatory fatigue accounting for 22.4% of the total effect. The present study identifies elevated levels of self-regulatory fatigue in young and middle-aged patients with T2DM, particularly in the cognitive dimension. The study emphasizes the significance of social support and psychological resilience as modifiable protective factors, with resilience mediating the effect of support to a certain extent. These findings support the integration of psychosocial strategies into diabetes care with a view to alleviating self-regulatory burden.
PMID:42275582 | DOI:10.1080/13548506.2026.2686302
