THE ROLE OF ILLNESS PERCEPTION AND PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT IN PREDICTING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple Sclerosis as a chronic disease causes stress, anxiety, depression and
other mental health problems for reasons such as sudden onset, lack of prognosis and definitive
treatment. Therefore, the present study was carried out aimed at the role of illness perception and
perceived social support in predicting psychological distress of MS patients.
Materials & Methods: The method used in this research was descriptive-correlation. The statistical
population included all of the MS patients who referred to the welfare center of Ardabil to obtain the
medical services and formed the file in the first half of 2014. Of this population, 60 individuals were
selected as the total available sampling. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support,
questionnaire of illness perception and the measures of depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21) were
used to collect data. Also, in order to analyze the data Pearson correlation test and multiple regression
were used on the software SPSS -16 (p<0.05).
Results: The results showed that in patients with MS, all components of illness perception except
(outcome of disease, personal control and illness integrity) have a significant correlation with (anxiety,
stress and depression) (p<0.05). It was also observed a significant relationship among all components
of social support and depression and also between the family support component and anxiety. Also, the
results of regression analysis showed that 39% of the variance in depression, 38% of anxiety and 33%
of the variance in stress is explained by the illness perception and perceived social support (p< 0.01).
Conclusion: The results of this research support the role of illness perception and perceived social
support in predicting psychological distress in MS patients. So, given the higher levels of psychological
injuries and disturbances in patients with multiple sclerosis, identification of causal and underlying
factors seems necessary in maintaining and improving the health and psychological well-being in this
group of chronic patients