Latent profile analysis of category characteristics and influencing factors of self-regulation fatigue in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Self-regulatory fatigue (SRF) may impair long-term self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), yet its heterogeneous patterns remain unclear. This cross-sectional study included 338 patients with T2DM. Data were collected using general information, SRF, diabetes-specific quality of life, diabetes stigma, and social support questionnaires. Latent profile analysis based on 16 SRF items identified three profiles: low behavioral-emotional SRF (n = 99, 29.3%), moderate SRF (n = 170, 50.3%), and high SRF (n = 69, 20.4%). Multinomial logistic regression examined factors associated with profile membership, and the BCH method compared diabetes-specific quality of life across profiles. Hyperlipidemia and stigma were positively associated with moderate and high SRF, whereas insulin therapy was negatively associated. Higher fasting plasma glucose and lower social support were associated with high SRF. The high SRF profile showed the poorest diabetes-specific quality of life. These findings support profile-specific SRF identification and intervention, and may inform targeted clinical management strategies.