The ability to handle stress situations is essential to subjective well-being. The program "Life with diabetes" extends traditional educational approaches by a psycho-social level with emphasis on coping with the disease. It draws on the transtheoretical model of behavior change and Person-Centered Approach (PCA). Results confirm the effectiveness of group work. Values of the activation block have increased (subscales PE and A). An increase of values of positive psychological state was observed, along with a simultaneous decrease in nervousness, anxiety, depressive tendencies, and better compensation of diabetes. Monitoring of saluto-protective factors of diabetic patients' lifestyle creates space for targeted psychosocial intervention, which is valid also for other chronic diseases.
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; education of diabetic patients; incongruence; perception; salutogenesis.