Contributions
Abstract: P824
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - 34 Quality of life
Background: A vast literature attests to the relation between coping strategies and illness adjustment among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Particularly, avoidance strategies were pervasively associated with lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL), while mixed findings were obtained about problem- and emotion-focused coping, depending on personal and clinical characteristics. Little however is known about the relationship between illness-related coping strategies and more general well-being dimensions such as life satisfaction, if the same strategies apply as for HRQoL and if they are adaptive or maladaptive.
Aim: To investigate the relation between coping strategies, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction with life among PwMS.
Methods: Questionnaires assessed participants' HRQoL in its physical and mental health composite dimensions (MS Quality of Life-54), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) and coping strategies (Brief COPE-28; avoidance: self-distraction, denial, behavioral disengagement; problem-focused: active coping, planning, instrumental support; emotion-focused: emotional support, positive reframing, humor, acceptance, religion).
Results: Data were analyzed for 680 participants from 8 MS centers in Italy. Regression analyses revealed that, over and above demographic and clinical variables, both the physical and the mental health composites were positively predicted by positive reframing (respectively, B=.09, p< .05; B=.14, p< .01), and negatively by emotional support (B=-.10, p< .01; B=-.17, p< .001), denial (B=-.08, p< .05; B=-.16,
p< .001), and behavioral disengagement (B=-.11, p< .01; B=-.20, p< .001). Life satisfaction was positively predicted by positive reframing (B=.17, p< .001) and humor (B=.10, p< .01), and negatively by behavioral disengagement (B=-.15, p< .001). Problem-focused strategies were not predictive of any well-being dimension.
Conclusions: The ways PwMS cope with disease are associated with both HRQoL and general life satisfaction. While some strategies - be they adaptive or maladaptive - were related to both (positive reframing and behavioral disengagement), others were specific to HRQoL (denial and emotional support) or life satisfaction (humor). Intervention targeting PwMS' coping efforts should thus broaden its scope of action by enhancing adaptive strategies and reducing maladaptive strategies, taking into account patients' health-related well-being and lives as a whole.
Disclosure: This study was supported by FISM - Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla - Cod. 2014/R/4.
Marta Bassi: nothing to disclose.
Monica Falautano: nothing to disclose.
Sabina Cilia: nothing to disclose.
Monica Grobberio: nothing to disclose.
Claudia Niccolai: nothing to disclose.
Marianna Pattini: nothing to disclose.
Maria Esmeralda Quartuccio: nothing to disclose.
Rosa Gemma Viterbo: nothing to disclose.
Beatrice Allegri: nothing to disclose.
Francesco Patti: nothing to disclose.
Marco Onofrj: nothing to disclose.
Miriam Benin: nothing to disclose.
Claudio Gasperini: nothing to disclose.
Eleonora Minacapelli: nothing to disclose.
Antonella Delle Fave: nothing to disclose.
Maria Pia Amato declares that she is member of the scientific committee of Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM)
Erika Pietrolongo received speaker's honoraria and travel and research grants from FISM.
Maria Trojano received speaker's honoraria from FISM.
Abstract: P824
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - 34 Quality of life
Background: A vast literature attests to the relation between coping strategies and illness adjustment among persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Particularly, avoidance strategies were pervasively associated with lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL), while mixed findings were obtained about problem- and emotion-focused coping, depending on personal and clinical characteristics. Little however is known about the relationship between illness-related coping strategies and more general well-being dimensions such as life satisfaction, if the same strategies apply as for HRQoL and if they are adaptive or maladaptive.
Aim: To investigate the relation between coping strategies, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction with life among PwMS.
Methods: Questionnaires assessed participants' HRQoL in its physical and mental health composite dimensions (MS Quality of Life-54), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) and coping strategies (Brief COPE-28; avoidance: self-distraction, denial, behavioral disengagement; problem-focused: active coping, planning, instrumental support; emotion-focused: emotional support, positive reframing, humor, acceptance, religion).
Results: Data were analyzed for 680 participants from 8 MS centers in Italy. Regression analyses revealed that, over and above demographic and clinical variables, both the physical and the mental health composites were positively predicted by positive reframing (respectively, B=.09, p< .05; B=.14, p< .01), and negatively by emotional support (B=-.10, p< .01; B=-.17, p< .001), denial (B=-.08, p< .05; B=-.16,
p< .001), and behavioral disengagement (B=-.11, p< .01; B=-.20, p< .001). Life satisfaction was positively predicted by positive reframing (B=.17, p< .001) and humor (B=.10, p< .01), and negatively by behavioral disengagement (B=-.15, p< .001). Problem-focused strategies were not predictive of any well-being dimension.
Conclusions: The ways PwMS cope with disease are associated with both HRQoL and general life satisfaction. While some strategies - be they adaptive or maladaptive - were related to both (positive reframing and behavioral disengagement), others were specific to HRQoL (denial and emotional support) or life satisfaction (humor). Intervention targeting PwMS' coping efforts should thus broaden its scope of action by enhancing adaptive strategies and reducing maladaptive strategies, taking into account patients' health-related well-being and lives as a whole.
Disclosure: This study was supported by FISM - Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla - Cod. 2014/R/4.
Marta Bassi: nothing to disclose.
Monica Falautano: nothing to disclose.
Sabina Cilia: nothing to disclose.
Monica Grobberio: nothing to disclose.
Claudia Niccolai: nothing to disclose.
Marianna Pattini: nothing to disclose.
Maria Esmeralda Quartuccio: nothing to disclose.
Rosa Gemma Viterbo: nothing to disclose.
Beatrice Allegri: nothing to disclose.
Francesco Patti: nothing to disclose.
Marco Onofrj: nothing to disclose.
Miriam Benin: nothing to disclose.
Claudio Gasperini: nothing to disclose.
Eleonora Minacapelli: nothing to disclose.
Antonella Delle Fave: nothing to disclose.
Maria Pia Amato declares that she is member of the scientific committee of Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM)
Erika Pietrolongo received speaker's honoraria and travel and research grants from FISM.
Maria Trojano received speaker's honoraria from FISM.