3rd Edition of Diabetes and Endocrinology World Conference 2027

Abstract

Abstract: 
Background
The self-management ability of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) directly affects the health outcomes of both mother and baby. Personal mastery (i.e., an individual's belief in their control over their own behavior and environment) may be a key influencing factor. Existing studies have shown that low mastery is associated with poor self-management in patients with chronic diseases, but the unique psychological and social mechanisms in the GDM population have not been clearly defined. Perceived social support and negative emotions may play a mediating role in this association, but the pathways still need to be verified.
Aims
This study aims to explore the relationship between personal mastery and self-management in pregnant women with GDM, as well as the mediating roles of perceived social support and negative emotions. Additionally, network analysis is used to identify central and bridge nodes in the relationship network, providing a basis for targeted interventions.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 510 Chinese pregnant women with GDM from August 2024 to April 2025. The Personal Mastery Scale (PMS), Self-Management Scale for Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDMS), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) were used to assess their levels of mastery, self-management, perceived social support, and negative emotions. Correlation and mediation effect analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0, and network analysis was conducted using R 4.3.2 software.
Results
Personal mastery was significantly positively correlated with self-management in GDM pregnant women (r=0.42, P<0.01), with perceived social support (r=0.38, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with negative emotions (r=-0.35, P<0.01). Self-management was positively correlated with perceived social support (r=0.31, P<0.01) and negatively correlated with negative emotions (r= -0.28, P<0.01). Perceived social support and negative emotions played partial mediating roles between personal mastery and self-management in GDM pregnant women, accounting for 38.46% of the total effect. Personal mastery influenced self-management through a chain mediation effect of perceived social support and negative emotions. In the network analysis, the network structure of personal mastery-perceived social support-negative emotions-self-management was stable. The core nodes were “helplessness” (node PMS3, strength=1.42), "family support" (node PSSS3, strength=1.28), "stress" (node DASS3, strength=1.15), and "blood glucose management" (node GDMS3, strength=1.08). The bridge nodes connecting mastery, perceived social support, negative emotions, and self-management were “dependent on oneself” (node PMS7, bridge strength=0.712), "friend support" (node PSSS1, bridge strength=0.685), and "anxiety" (node DASS2, bridge strength=0.598).
Conclusions
Personal mastery in pregnant women with GDM can directly improve self-management levels and can also indirectly improve self-management by enhancing perceived social support and alleviating negative emotions. Network analysis suggests that core nodes (such as the belief of " helplessness" and family support) and bridge nodes (such as the belief of "dependent on oneself" and friend support) may be key targets for intervention. Future research can design psychosocial intervention programs based on the network structure, with enhancing mastery as the core, and simultaneously optimizing the social support system and emotional regulation ability.