The Role of Stress Perception and Coping with Stress and the Quality of Life Among Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Abstract

Purpose Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders and a cause of disability in young adults. Adequate stress management in MS patients may merit the benefits of both physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life in MS patients and its correlation with stress levels and coping strategies. Methods This descriptive and correlational study was conducted among 109 patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). The study was based on a questionnaire designed by the authors and the following standardized questionnaires: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE), and the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire (MusiQoL). Results Data analysis showed that 47.71% of the patients experienced a high level of stress, and the most often used strategies under challenging situations included seeking emotional support (2.11) and active coping (1.96). Also, it showed that when the level of stress is higher, the QOL in all domains is lower. Coping strategies such as sense of humor, turning to religion, self-distraction, denial, venting, substance use, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame are negatively correlated with the quality of life of MS. Conclusion Quality of life in MS patients is negatively affected by a higher level of perceived stress. The use of coping strategies such as active coping, positive reframing, acceptance, and seeking emotional and instrumental support is positively correlated with the quality of life of MS patients.

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Stress Levels and Occurrence of Stomatoghnatic System Disorders (SSDs) among Physiotherapy Students in Poland

“…All participants agreed to voluntarily participate in the study by signing an informed consent. They were asked to fill in the survey consisting of two parts: the first part included a respondent's particulars (age, sex, year of study) and ten close-ended questions concerning the symptoms of SSDs and pain (Likert scale) [39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. The second part consisted of standardized psychological questionnaires, PSS10 (perceived stress scale), Mini-Cope (Inventory for measuring coping with stress), DS14 (Type-D scale) [46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54].…”

Resilience, Stress, Well-Being, and Sleep Quality in Multiple Sclerosis

“…The progression of MS is not linear, and it is not yet clear what causes a benign course of disease in some patients and a rapid, debilitating course in others [ 1 ]. In addition to physical impairment and pain, people with MS (PwMS) often experience increased fatigue, cognitive difficulties, poor sleep quality, chronic stress, mood disturbances, lowered quality of life and resilience, and reduced well-being [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Large studies identified a correlation between perceived stress and depressive symptoms in PwMS.…”

“…In the experience of many PwMS, their disease onset or exacerbation immediately followed stressful events such as the death of a loved one, pressure at work, financial strain, relationship difficulties, or university exams [ 11 , 12 ]. However, stress described as common but constant might be more likely to contribute to the disease [ 13 ], and it appears that PwMS are more stressed than the general population [ 5 ]. Resilience—that is, the ability to withstand crises, adapt when faced with stressors and adversity, and recover quickly—might be one of the most important characteristics of PwMS who adapt and thrive despite this chronic, unpredictable, and potentially debilitating illness.…”

Psychiatric Comorbidities among University Students with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

“…Some symptoms, which are not visible to the surrounding people, can cause MS patients to feel misunderstood by others, like fatigue and pain. These problems in daily life can lead to anxiety and impaired quality of life [45,46].…”

“…Nevertheless, moderate and severe stress were encountered in 44.8% and 23% of MS patients, respectively [13]. Additionally, other studies demonstrated that MS patients with higher levels of disability had higher stress intensity [46,47].…”