The influence of personality traits and coping strategies on the quality of life of patients with relapsing-remitting type of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Introduction/Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that can reduce the quality of life. Personality traits and coping strategies are a significant factor in interpersonal variance regarding quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine relations between personality traits and coping strategies in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) type MS, and to examine relations of personality traits, coping strategies and quality of life in patients with RR type MS. Methodology: Observational cross-sectional study included 66 patients (34 female and 32 male) with clinically definitive MS, based on the McDonald criteria. The following clinical scales were used to examine personality traits, coping strategies and quality of life: Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MSQOL-54). Results: The average age of the patients was 41.6 ± 7.1 years. Pearson correlation coefficient shows that with regards to coping strategies, the only positive relation exists with neuroticism (r=.502). The correlation is negative between neuroticism, passive coping strategies and quality of life with physical (r=-.284, p<0.05) and mental health (r=-.289, r=-0.358, p<0.05), meaning that the patients with a higher level of neuroticism, and who rely on passive coping strategies, have a worse quality of life. Conclusion: This research shows the importance of personality traits and coping strategy assessments in patients with RR type MS. Participation in cognitive-behavioral therapy, with an accent on active coping strategies, can improve the quality of life in patients with MS.

Coping with multiple sclerosis: reconciling significant aspects of health-related quality of life

“…Particularly, Bassi et al (2021) found a negative association between avoidance coping and physical HRQOL. In addition, Cerea et al (2021) discovered a positive association between mental HRQOL and problem solving and a negative with emotional discharge and passive coping (Cerea et al, 2021;Krstić et al, 2021). The scientific literature revealed that MS patients use less active and more avoidance and emotional coping than the general population (Keramat Kar et al, 2019).…”

The role of clinical, demographic and psychological characteristics of people with multiple sclerosis in their physical health related quality of life

“…13 Καθώς η ΠΖ αντικατοπτρίζει σε έναν βαθμό και το επίπεδο προσαρμογής του ατόμου στις συνθήκες που βιώνει, θα πρέπει να αναζητήσουμε ανάμεσα στους παράγοντες που την επηρεάζουν και τους πιθανούς ψυχολογικούς προσαρμοστικούς μηχανισμούς. Ο ρόλος διαφόρων διαστάσεων της προσωπικότητας στην ΣΥΠΖ έχει ερευνηθεί αρκετά σε σχέση με την ΠΣ, [14][15][16][17] όχι όμως και των αμυντικών μηχανισμών του Εγώ, παρότι έχει αναδειχθεί η σημαντικότητά τους σε διάφορες άλλες χρόνιες ασθένειες. [18][19][20][21][22] Πρώτος ο Sigmund Freud εισήγαγε τον όρο ¨άμυνα¨2 3 στα τέλη του 1800.…”