Association of Personality Traits and Self-Care Behaviors in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Diabetes self-care is critical for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and exploring the impact of personality traits on this domain remains pivotal. This study aimed to investigate the association between personality traits and various dimensions of self-care in people with T2DM. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA)-guided systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Twenty-three studies, that met our inclusion criteria, revealed distinct associations between certain personality traits and various aspects of self-care. Notably, traits such as openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness showed associations with improved foot care compliance (odds ratio (OR) = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.49-4.28; OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.10-3.08; and OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.23-3.48, respectively). Openness was also linked to better overall self-care behaviors (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.17-3.41), while conscientiousness correlated with reduced smoking (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93-0.99), and agreeableness was associated with improved medication adherence (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.34-2.31). Conversely, traits like extraversion and neuroticism showed associations with decreased medication adherence (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61-0.96 and OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.40-0.65, respectively), with neuroticism additionally linked to lower overall self-care behaviors (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55-0.81). This study emphasizes the intricate role of personality traits in shaping self-care practices in individuals with T2DM, underscoring the significance of factoring these traits into tailoring and improving diabetes self-care strategies. Nevertheless, establishing definitive causal relationships mandates further in-depth longitudinal investigations and broader meta-analyses to achieve a more conclusive understanding.