Research Brief: Diabetes—Perspectives From A Different Corner

By Yogarabindranath Swarna Nantha, Chung Ker Rou, Carisa Ling Chun Yue

Recommended Citation—Swarna Nantha Y, Chung KR, Ling CY. Assessment of Self-Management Questionnaire in Diabetes Mellitus (ASQ-DM-PSY): Validation of a novel lived experience inventory [research brief] [Internet]. Insight Circle. 2026 Jul 25. Available from: https://www.theinsightcircle.org/post/insight-projects-looking-at-diabetes-from-a-different-corner

Premise

Between 2024 and 2026 (part of the ASQ-DM and IBM-DM initiative), Insight Circle conducted a preliminary analysis of a cohort of people living with diabetes to establish benchmark psychological profiles associated with the condition. Building on our previous foundational work, this current analysis continues to investigate the psychological dimensions of diabetes, with the broader objective of developing practical, scalable methods for assessing these factors within the general population.

Background

In recent years, the global prevalence of diabetes has shown a gradual yet steady increase. The situation, however, is far more distressing in Malaysia where trends in metabolic diseases has reached a near-epidemic proportion (NHMS 2023). Evidence suggests that self-management behaviour—shaped by complex psychological characteristics—is the cornerstone of sustainable long-term control of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Moreover, in Malaysia, there is a lack of deep exploration of the behavioural facets to fundamental management of diabetes.

Findings

We uncovered three core paradigms—resilience 2) prudence, and 3) vulnerability—as major psychological determinants of self-management in diabetes. “Prudence” functions as an independent mediator of generalized intention toward self-management behaviour. Higher “Vulnerability” scores were significantly associated with elevated BMI and PHQ-9 scores.

Conclusion

These findings expands the scope of diabetes assessment by identifying individual “psychological hotspots” absent from existing self-management tools. These findings reinforce the hypothesis that psychological factors are foundational and precedes other domains in diabetes self-management.

Key Takeaways

Traditional diabetes assessments primarily measure clinical and behavioural outcomes. Our findings suggest that underlying psychological dispositions may influence these behaviours long before measurable health deterioration occurs.

By identifying these often-overlooked psychological determinants, these findings lays the groundwork for more holistic, person-centred approaches to diabetes prevention and care. Ultimately, developing scalable methods to assess psychological risk within the general population could enable earlier intervention, more targeted support, and improved health outcomes for people at risk of or living with diabetes.

Availability of Full Research—The complete research details is currently maintained as an internal research dossier by Full Circle Nexus and Insight Circle, therefore not publicly available at this stage. Researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and organizations with a legitimate interest in this work are welcome to contact Insight Circle to discuss access or potential collaboration.