Introduction:

the prevention of the progression from prediabetes to diabetes must be done from a holistic approach considering the motivational and affective functioning of the patients who suffer from this condition.

Objective:

to determine the particularities of the motivational and affective functioning of prediabetic patients.

Methods:

a descriptive exploratory study was carried out with a mixed-method research where quantitative and qualitative analyzes were integrated; the sample was made up of 10 prediabetic subjects. A psychological assessment was made based on their clinical history and the Register of the Activity. Direct and Indirect Method (RAMDI in Spanish), the Dembo-Rubinstein Scale, the Sentence Completion and the Composition Techniques, as well as the semi-structured interview were applied for screening.

Results:

the prediabetic subjects do not recognize themselves as sick, do not value the risks they incur with their condition, and do not commit to a lifestyle change.

Conclusions:

health category in prediabetic patients is not a guiding motive that guides and regulates their behaviour in a stable way; a predominance of an attitude of "non-acceptance of the disease", with a marked tendency to inadequate self-assessment that limited personal responsibility for the morbid condition.