Progressive muscle relaxation for reducing diabetes distress in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A quasi-experimental study in primary care

La Rakhmat Wabula (Study Program of Bachelor and Professional in Nursing, STIKes Maluku Husada, Maluku, Indonesia)
Febby Djuwita H Aipassa (Study Program of Bachelor and Professional in Nursing, STIKes Maluku Husada, Maluku, Indonesia)
Salama Sely (Study Program of Bachelor and Professional in Nursing, STIKes Maluku Husada, Maluku, Indonesia)
Artiya Mumina Ahmad (Study Program of Bachelor and Professional in Nursing, STIKes Maluku Husada, Maluku, Indonesia)

Lentera Perawat
Vol. 7 No. 4 (2026): October - December

Background: Diabetes distress is a common psychological burden among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and may interfere with self-management in primary care. Although Progressive Muscle Relaxation has been widely used as a simple non-pharmacological relaxation technique, evidence regarding its effect on diabetes-specific distress in primary care settings remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation on diabetes distress among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving care in a primary care setting. Methods: A controlled quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design was conducted among 46 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus at Tulehu Public Health Center, Central Maluku Regency, Indonesia. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling based on predefined eligibility criteria and allocated to intervention and control groups. Eligible participants were adults with T2DM who were able to communicate effectively and perform Progressive Muscle Relaxation. The intervention group received PMR for 14 days, while the control group received usual care. Diabetes distress was assessed before and after the intervention using the Diabetes Distress Scale. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and independent-samples t-tests. Results: The mean diabetes distress score in the intervention group decreased from 3.439 at baseline to 1.913 after the intervention, with a mean reduction of 1.526 points. This reduction was statistically significant (p<0.001). The control group showed no significant change in diabetes distress scores (p=0.714). Between-group analysis showed that the reduction in diabetes distress was significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group (p<0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d=0.85). Conclusion: Progressive Muscle Relaxation was associated with a significant reduction in diabetes distress among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting. This intervention may be integrated into nursing-led diabetes care as a feasible non-pharmacological strategy to support psychological well-being.