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Coping with Multiple Sclerosis: coping strategies, personality, and cognitive appraisals as predictors of adjustment among multiple sclerosis patients

Chalk, Holly McCartney

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease which results in a wide variety of symptoms and extreme variability in disease course. Since researchers have not yet found a cure for the disease, MS patients experience a wide range of emotional responses to the uncertainty of their prognosis. Because MS patients’ level of subjective distress bears little relationship to the severity of their physical symptoms, I hypothesized that cognitive, behavioral, and dispositional variables likely play a role in psychosocial adjustment among MS patients. Previous researchers have proposed two primary models by which coping, cognitive appraisals, and social support affect adjustment: the direct effects model and the stress buffering model. The direct effects model suggests that cognitive appraisals, social support, and coping strategies have direct effects on adjustment. The stress buffering model suggests that coping buffers the negative effects of cognitive appraisals on adjustment. I utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures to assess the utility of these models in explaining adjustment to MS. This study extended previous research by investigating the value of incorporating personality variables into each of the models. Correlational results indicated that coping and cognitive appraisals were systematically related to adjustment, while physical disability was not. This implies that many of the variables which relate to adjustment outcomes among MS patients are controllable, suggesting that practitioners should target these cognitive and behavioral variables to positively affect adjustment to MS. Regression analyses demonstrated that the addition of personality variables to the model improved predictive utility, suggesting that stress and coping researchers should attend to individual differences in the adjustment process. SEM results revealed that the best-fitting models of adjustment to MS included the direct effects of cognitive-behavioral and dispositional variables, as well as stress buffering effects. These findings suggest that comprehensive models of adjustment to MS should incorporate a combination of direct and stress buffering effects. Particularly because no psychosocial intervention has been developed to specifically target MS patients, practitioners should utilize these results to develop effective interventions for this population. Specifically, results of the current investigation suggest that researchers should explore the utility of coping skills training and cognitive-behavioral therapy with the MS population.
Don Dell (Advisor)
212 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chalk, H. M. (2007). Coping with Multiple Sclerosis: coping strategies, personality, and cognitive appraisals as predictors of adjustment among multiple sclerosis patients [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1178213739

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chalk, Holly. Coping with Multiple Sclerosis: coping strategies, personality, and cognitive appraisals as predictors of adjustment among multiple sclerosis patients. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1178213739.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chalk, Holly. "Coping with Multiple Sclerosis: coping strategies, personality, and cognitive appraisals as predictors of adjustment among multiple sclerosis patients." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1178213739

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)