Illness perceptions, depression and coping in people with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objectives:  The study was designed to explore the relationship between the type of Multiple Sclerosis participants had, and their illness perceptions and coping style.  Secondary objectives were to seen how well the data supported the theoretical models upon which the questionnaires were based.

Method:  The study was a cross-sectional between-participants design, and used General Linear Model Multivariate analysis.  Confirmatory Principal Component Analysis was also carried out.

Results:  Generally findings supported the notion that the type of Multiple Sclerosis people have has an effect on their illness perceptions.  There was only one significant between-groups comparison for coping.  However, anxiety accounted for significant differences found on three coping styles.  The model of illness perceptions the questionnaire was based on was largely supported, but the coping styles model was not.

Conclusions:  Previous studies have tended to categorise people with Multiple Sclerosis as a single group, and to analyse data accordingly.  Results from this study suggest that this may create problems, as there were some distinct differences between people with different types of Multiple Sclerosis on measures of illness perceptions.  The illness perceptions model seems to be robust and relevant to an understanding of Multiple Sclerosis.  Coping seems to be affected by anxiety.  This suggests that managing anxiety may be a core feature of healthy adaptation to MS.

More information

Identifiers

Catalogue record

Export record

ASCII CitationAtomBibTeXData Cite XMLDublin CoreDublin CoreEP3 XMLEndNoteHTML CitationHTML CitationHTML ListJSONMETSMODSMPEG-21 DIDLOpenURL ContextObjectOpenURL ContextObject in SpanRDF+N-TriplesRDF+N3RDF+XMLRIOXX2 XMLReferReference ManagerSimple Metadata