DIRECTIVE AND NONDIRECTIVE SOCIAL SUPPORT IN DIABETES MANAGEMENT

Directive and Nondirective Support were distinguished (interrater agre ement = 88.2%) through open-ended interviews completed by 60 adults wi th Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Supporting validity, the sum o f both Directive and Nondirective Support was correlated with scores o n the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL; r=.36). Supporting their distinction, Directive and Nondirective Support were inversely c orrelated (r=-.26), and Directive but not Nondirective Support decreas ed with age. Partial correlations controlled for general support, as m easured by the ISEL, to examine the unique associations of Directive a nd Nondirective Support. For those less than 30 years old, Nondirectiv e Support was associated with better metabolic control (p=.004). For t hose 30 or older, Directive Support appeared counterproductive, being associated with greater negative mood (p=.02). Different types of supp ort may play different roles in different areas of disease management (e.g., metabolic control versus mood) and as a function of individual characteristics such as age.