Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale (SUDM)

Abstract

The Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale (SUDM; Wang et al., 2023) was developed to measure individuals’ capacities for healthy and productive thinking, feeling, and behaving within the context of diabetes self-management. The development of the scale involved comprehensive literature reviews and expert evaluations, followed by rigorous psychometric analyses. The final 12-item SUDM was assessed using a convenience sample of Taiwanese participants with type 2 diabetes (TD2M) who were recruited from two endocrine clinics. The study reported on factor analysis, reliability, and validity results for these items.

Keywords

Self-Management; Type 2 Diabetes; Character Strengths Use; Thinking Positively; Taking on Challenges; Learning Proactively

Authors

• Wang, Ruey-Hsia

• Kao, Chia‐Chan

• Su, Yi‐Ching

• Chen, Shi‐Yu

• Hsu, Hui‐Chun

• Lu, Chieh‐Hua

• Jone, Kuen‐Yung

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the SUDM scale is to identify the extent to which character strengths are utilized in self-management practices among individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Validity

Construct Validity: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) provided support for a 12-item scale comprising three distinct factors: “learning proactively,” “taking on challenges,” and “thinking positively.” These factors demonstrated a good fit with the collected data.
Concurrent and Predictive Validity: The total score derived from the 12-item scale showed a significant positive correlation with diabetes-specific quality of life. Conversely, it exhibited a significant negative correlation with both baseline and 9-month haemoglobin A1c levels, indicating its predictive utility.

Reliability

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency, measured by Cronbach’s α, for the overall SUDM scale and its subscales ranged robustly between .78 and .91, indicating high internal consistency.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis: Based on the Scree plot analysis, three distinct factors were extracted. After a process of item deletion, a final set of 12 items remained, which grouped coherently into these three factors. The accumulative total variance explained by the 12-item SUDM was 69.44%. The summary score for each factor ranged from 0 to 16.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis: The results of the CFA indicated that all 12 items were significantly loaded onto their corresponding factors that were identified through EFA. The factor loading for each item was found to be significant and consistently greater than 0.46. The fit indices demonstrated a good model fit, with values as follows: χ2/df = 1.52, CFI = 0.97, NFI = 0.93; GFI = 0.92, and RMSEA = 0.06 (with a 95% confidence interval of 0.03–0.09).

Instrument: Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale (SUDM)

Test Type: Original
Format: Each item is scored using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (extremely disagree) to 4 points (extremely agree). There are no reverse-scored items. Higher summary scores obtained from the scale indicate a greater use of character strengths in diabetes self-management.
Language Available: Chinese (The language present in the study was English)
Population Group: Human; Male; Female
Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)
Population Details:

• Respondents: Patients with Type-2 Diabetes

• Location: Taiwan
  Test Methodology: Test Validity; Concurrent Validity; Predictive Validity; Test Reliability; Internal Consistency; Factor Analysis; Confirmatory Factor Analysis; Exploratory Factor Analysis

Keywords

Self-Management; Type 2 Diabetes; Character Strengths Use; Thinking Positively; Taking on Challenges; Learning Proactively

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Wang, Ruey-Hsia: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9323-7389

• Kao, Chia‐Chan: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2846-5590

Affiliation:

• Wang, Ruey-Hsia: Kaohsiung Medical University, College of Nursing

• Kao, Chia‐Chan: School of Nursing, I-Shou University

• Su, Yi‐Ching: Kaohsiung Medical University, College of Nursing

• Chen, Shi‐Yu: Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism

• Hsu, Hui‐Chun: Lee’s Endocrinology Clinic

• Lu, Chieh‐Hua: Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism

• Jone, Kuen‐Yung: Kaohsiung Medical University, School of Psychology

Email Addresses:

• Wang, Ruey-Hsia: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

• Wang, Ruey-Hsia: Kaohsiung Medical University, College of Nursing, No. 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Road, San-Min District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, Province of China, 80708, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author
Commercial Use: No
Fee: No
Test Year: 2023

References

Wang, R.‐H., Kao, C.‐C., Su, Y.‐C., Chen, S.‐Y., Hsu, H.‐C., Lu, C.‐H., & Jone, K.‐Y. (2023). Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale: Development and psychometric testing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(10), 4034–4043. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15723

Items of the Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale (SUDM)

This measure consists of 12 items. No data is Available regarding the specific items of the scale.

Factors and Subscales:

• Learning proactively

• Taking on challenges

• Thinking positively