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Cited by 235Multiple Sclerosis Research StudiesCancer survivorship and carePsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

The role of illness severity and illness representations in adjusting to multiple sclerosis

Jopson, Nicola M, Moss-Morris, Rona·2003·Journal of Psychosomatic Research
DOI 10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00455-5
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Abstract

Objective Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable, chronic and unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether MS patients' illness representations impact on their adjustment to this debilitating illness even when controlling for the severity of their condition. Methods One hundred and sixty-eight MS patients completed a questionnaire booklet comprised of the Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised and a range of adjustment variables including the Sickness Impact Profile, the Fatigue Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The severity of patients' MS was measured by the type of MS, length of illness, remission status and ambulatory ability. Results Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that illness severity accounted for the majority of the variance in physical and role dysfunction, while patients' illness representations were the most significant predictors of levels of social dysfunction, fatigue, anxiety, depression and self-esteem. Conclusions Patients' illness representations play a significant role in adjustment to MS. These results suggest that a psychological intervention, which addresses patients' illness representations, may assist in their adjustment to MS.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00455-5

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4 of 4 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • 15% of patients with various neurological disorders give a congruent medical explanation of their disease, while more than a third invoke a psychological cause.

    “Selon une récente étude [2], 15% des patients avec différents troubles neurologiques donnent une explication médicale congruente de leur maladie, tandis que plus d'un tiers invoquent une cause psychologique.”

    From Prise en charge des troubles anxieux dans le cadre d'atteintes neurologiques (2004) · cites this paper as [2]

  • Negative self-concept is related to an increase in MS-related symptoms and the progression of the disease.

    “Negative self-concept has been found to be related to depressive and anxiety symptoms in individuals with MS (Wright and Kiropoulos, 2017) and to an increase in MS-related symptoms and the progression of the disease (Jopson and Moss-Morris, 2003).”

    From Self-concept, illness acceptance and depressive and anxiety symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis. (2021) · cites this paper as Jopson and Moss-Morris, 2003

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Authors
Jopson, N. M., & Moss-Morris, R.
Affiliations
University of Auckland (NZ)
Corresponding author
Moss-Morris, Rona
ORCID
Moss-Morris, Rona
Venue
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2003-06
Volume
54
Issue
6
Pages
503-511
ISSN
0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00455-5
OpenAlex
W2011887571
Cited by
235
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 12
FWCI
4.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Keywords
multiple sclerosis, illness representations, disease severity, adaptation to chronic illness, social dysfunction, fatigue, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, psychological intervention
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, Female, Persons with Disabilities, Disabled Persons, Health Status, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Multiple Sclerosis, Regression Analysis, Self Concept, Severity of Illness Index, Social Behavior

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