DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE DIABETES CARE PROFILE

To determine the reliability and the validity of the Diabetes Care Pro file (DCP), on instrument that assesses the social and psychological f actors related to diabetes and its treatment, two studies with separat e populations and methodologies were conducted In the first study, the DCP was administered to, and physiologic measures collected from indi viduals with diabetes being cared for in a community setting (n = 440) . In the second study the DCP and several previously validated scales were administered to individuals with diabetes receiving care at a uni versity medical center (n = 352). Cronbach's alphas of individual DCP scales ranged from .60 to .95 (Study 1) and from .66 to .94 (Study 2). Glycohemoglobin levels correlated with three DCP scales (Study 1). Se veral DCP scales discriminated among patients with different levels of disease severity. The results of the studies indicate that the DCP is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the psychosocial factors related to diabetes and its treatment.