A Study of the Role of Psychological Factors and Pain Related Variables in the Prediction of Emotional Distress in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Authors
Fereshte Haghighat
Ata Tehranchi
Parisa Dehkordian
Seyed Kazem Rasoolzade Tabatabaei
Abstract
Aim of present study was to study the role of psychological factors and pain-related variables in the prediction of the emotional distress in MS patients. Sample of the study was consisted of 249 patients with Multiple Sclerosis visiting M.S society of Isfahan and was selected through convenience sampling. Of this sample, 12 patients were not included because they didn’t meet the inclusion criteria. Participants answered to the questionnaires of pain-related self-efficacy, ego strength and multidimensional pain inventory. To analyze the data, Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis were used. Results indicated that ego strength and pain related self-efficacy could significantly and negatively predict the emotional distress in M.S patients. Social support also predicted the emotional distress significantly and positively. Findings of present research were consistent with the results of the previous studies that demonstrated the role of self-conceptions in predicting the emotional distress. Given the positive correlation between social support and emotional distress in this study that is consistent with some studies and that is different with some other studies, it is recommended to study the relationship between perceived and real social support and emotional distress in the future studies.
Keywords
Emotional Distress
Pain-related Self-Efficacy
Social Support
Multiple Sclerosis
Ego Strength